


The Ebony Titan

by HouseNaelgyreon



Series: The Ebony Titan [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, 進撃の巨人 | Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan (Movies)
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, African Folklore, Anal Sex, Angst, Bisexual Female Character, Black Character(s), Black Female Character, Character Death, Death, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Female Character of Color, Female Friendship, Female Protagonist, Female-Centric, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gay Sex, Gen, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Magic, Magical Realism, Male Character of Color, Male-Female Friendship, Minor Character Death, Multi, Near Death Experiences, New Adult, Oral Sex, Original Character Death(s), POV Character of Color, POV Female Character, Past Character Death, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Polyandry, Rough Sex, Sex, Swords, Swords & Sorcery, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:13:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27625901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseNaelgyreon/pseuds/HouseNaelgyreon
Summary: "Stay away from the Outsiders" - were words that Safiyeh Bereket heard all her life.Descending from Paradis Island's original inhabitants, it was the arrival of Eldians and Titans that announced her people's slaughter. From the once million-strong Tribe, only a handful remain. Out of fear from Titans and humans alike, the Tribe spends most of its time in the trees, coming out only at night to hunt or gather water. Contact with the Outsiders is strictly forbidden, but Safiyeh was always a curious soul.When her young sister accidentally wanders too close to the Scout Regiment, Safiyeh goes to rescue her, only to be captured and questioned. While some would much rather kill the small group of Scouts, Safiyeh's Father proposes a compromise: Safiyeh will live with them and learn their ways, while the Scouts are given access to her Tribes weaponry and technology.However, during her time with the Scouts, Safiyeh discovered Eren Yeager, a boy with a powerful secret very close to her own...
Relationships: Eren Yeager/Original Female Character(s), Eren Yeager/Reiner Braun, Eren Yeager/Reiner Braun/Original Female Character(s), Erwin Smith & Original Female Character(s), Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Character(s), Mikasa Ackerman/Armin Arlert, Reiner Braun/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Ebony Titan [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019842
Comments: 53
Kudos: 87





	1. Book 1 - Prologue

_“Stay away from the Outsiders” – were words that seventeen-year-old Safiyeh Bereket has heard all her life._

_Two millennia ago, a Tribe of people fled the growing Eldian Empire. Discovering a massive island, they called it Hadi, meaning ‘Guide’ in their tongue, as the legends spoke of a falling star guiding them to this haven. In this land, they flourished, growing from only a couple of tribal members to well over one million._

_But then the Eldians came._

_Driven out by the Marley nation, the Eldians came to the Island, and with them came their Titans. This arrival equaled senseless slaughter of the Hadi, both by the Titans and by the Eldian’s who wanted their land. Not wanting to risk any more lives, the remaining 3000 members of the Tribe took to the trees._

_They used their primitive technology and great flexibility to their advantage, slowly evolving for a new purpose. They only come out at night to hunt or gather water, and contact with the Outsiders is strictly forbidden, but Safiyeh was always a curious soul._

_One day, when she’s supposed to be watching her younger sister, Safiyeh is distracted. This allows her sister to toddle out of sight, but rather than falling into the mouth of a Titan; the young Hadi is scooped up by the Scout Regiment from the nearby great city._

_Naturally, Safiyeh goes to rescue her sister, only to be captured and questioned. While some would much rather kill the small group of Scouts, Safiyeh's Father proposes a compromise: Safiyeh will live with them and learn their ways, while the Scouts are given access to her Tribes weaponry and technology._

_However, during her time with the Scouts, Safiyeh discovered_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> So this is a short little chapter that's the prologue of the book and get you into the mood/mythos of the story. Hope you like it!


	2. 1. In Our Forests

“The Outsiders have entered the forests again.”

Seventeen-year-old Safiyeh Bereket lifted her head at the sound of the Seeker’s voice. Her dark-blue eyes widened with shock, her mouth opening before she could stop it.

“What do you mean the Outsiders have entered the forests again?” she blurted out.

To her side, Chief Mesfin arched an eyebrow at his daughter. His disapproving gave instantly made Safiyeh bow her head and lower her eyes.

“Forgive me, Father,” the Teen whispered. “I should have held my tongue.”

To her right, Chief Mesfin arched an eyebrow at his daughter, the action making Safiyeh bow her head in silence once again.

“Forgive me, Father,” Safiyeh whispered. “I should have held my tongue.”

The crisp autumn air did little to warm to the atmosphere around the assembled group. About a dozen men and women sat upon Mesfin’s terrace, holding the first council meeting of the season.

Each one of the different men and women decides Safiyeh’s family, representing a different faction of their Tribe. The once-great nation in the past numbered almost 10,000 members, now there were just under 300.

As Mesfin’s eldest daughter, Safiyeh had only recently gotten the right to sit in on these meetings. Normally her brother, Temesgen, would be at their father’s right hand. Now, it was Safiyeh, but the teen knew that she could only do it as long as she was respectful.

Mesfin patted her shoulder affectionally. “It is all right, Safi. We are all quite shocked by the news. The Outsiders have never come to this section of the Forest before.”

The Seeker who had brought the information looked down at his feet, not knowing that else to do.

On the other side of her father, Temesgen cleared his throat.

“We should keep to the high branches like we always have done, Father,” Temesgen suggested. “The Outsiders haven’t found us yet, so we have nothing to fear.”

“Permission to speak?” Safiyeh asked.

Mesfin nodded. “You may.”

Safiyeh turned back to the Seeker. “How many did you see?”

“I could not tell for sure, My Lady,” the Seeker replied. “But we believe they number in the hundreds.”

Temesgen shrugged. “If they do not come to seek us, then we have nothing to fear. Correct Father?”

Mesfin was still silent, the elderly Chieftain deep in his thoughts.

One of the Councilmen cleared his throat. “As the Seeker s are apart of my tribe, shall we continue to watch them, My Lord? We need to keep our eyes on them.”

A Councilwoman cleared her throat as well. “I agree. The last thing we need is for them to know of us.”

Mesfin nodded. “I agree with both of you for that. But them being here might hinder our hunting plans. We can handle the Giants at night, but Outsiders will pose more of a problem. They have brains and use them.”

“We can plan a course of attack later, if need be,” Temesgen pressed. “Until then, we should stay out of sight.”

“I agree,” Mesfin confirmed. “My ruling is that we stay out of sight as we have always done. But our Seekers are to watch the Outsiders, no one else is to go near them until we have clear information on what they want. For all we know, they’ll be like the other Outsiders who either leave after a short period or get eaten by the Giants.”

The Chieftain stood to his feet, signaling the end of the meeting.

One by one, the members of the Council rose to their feet and bowed to their Chieftain, before leaving. When they were gone, Safiyeh looked to her father.

“Might I speak again, _Ābati_?” Safiyeh asked.

“Of course,” Mesfin said, giving his favorite child a warm smile. “What is on your mind, Safi?”

“These Outsiders, you say that we need to keep our distance from them,” Safiyeh said. “Yet, how must we continue our night hunts?”

Mesfin frowned. “What do you mean?”

“The autumn is when the elk we hunt are at full mass,” Safiyeh pointed out. “We need to continue our night hunts to not only gather food but water and anything else for the upcoming winter.”

“Safi…”

“If we did the smart thing, we should just handle the Outsiders. We know how to herd the Giants. They’ll do the dirty work for us.”

“I understand the risks, Safi,” Mesfin said. “If that is all you need to talk about, you can go to your treehouse.”

Safiyeh frowned but stiffly bowed to her father, then stormed in the opposite direction. Instead of grabbing a harness on the nearby table, the headstrong tribal princess got a running start and launched herself over the edge of the terrace. Her brother and father didn’t bat an eyelash as she disappeared, knowing better than to chase after her.

Temesgen watched his sister leave, then turned to his father. “She has the mind of a leader, Father. You know that. She is right in pointing out the flaws in this plan.”

“We’ve always kept ourselves hidden from the Outsiders,” Mesfin replied. “You know our rules.”

“It does not mean we have to be blind,” Temesgen argued. “Besides…what if they’re after our secret?”

“I doubt they know about that. Now, if that’s all you have to talk to me about, Temesgen…”

Temesgen sighed and bowed with respect. “I will see you at dinner?”

Mesfin nodded. “Of course.”

Temesgen walked to the edge of the terrace and grabbed the nearby harness, that he attached to his belt. His brown eyes swept around, looking for any sign of Giants. When he saw none, he took several steps back then launched himself forward, flying as he traveled to his sister’s treehouse that was one measure down.

“Safi?” Temesgen called as he landed on her terrace. “Safi, where are you?”

Safiyah sat in a dark corner on a couch, cleaning one of her swords. “What do you want, Teme? Did he send you to make up with me?”

Temesgen unhooked himself from his harness and shrugged. “You always think that someone is going to attack you. Father is just doing what he believes is right.”

Safiyah glared at him. “Something is different about these Outsiders… I don’t know why, but I can feel it.”

“You worry too much,” Temesgen said, shrugging. “Look, Father did not say we’re not doing our night hunts. And if you didn’t upset him, then that means we’re doing it tonight.”

Instantly, Safiyah’s face lit up. “Let me guess, you’re going to lead it?”

Temesgen smirked. “If you are nice to me, I’ll consider letting you do it.”

Safiyah smirked. “Duel you for it?”

Temesgen shook his head. “Gods no. Everyone knows better than to challenge you to a sword fight. Fine, I’ll let you lead it. It will be good to see you fail.”

His sister laughed, playfully tossing a couch pillow at him.

Later that evening, as their family sat down to share their evening meal, Safiyah pulled her younger sister into her lap. Their family was a small one, unlike the other’s of their Tribe. The circular tables were meant to seat no less than 12 people, and Safiyah’s family considered with just under that.

Safiyah’s stomach clenched with hunger at the sight of many dishes, her mouth watering. Her eyes instantly fell upon the meat soup dumplings stuffed with tender duck meat and vegetables, as well as a rich broth that warmed your stomach.

Hawani, the youngest in the family, looked up at Safiyah with large, light-blue eyes. “Play with me, tonight?”

Safiyah shook her head. “Not tonight. I go night hunting with Ābati and Teme. But how about tomorrow?”

Hawani poked out her lower lip in a pout. Normally, Safiyah would give in, but not this time. Night hunting was one of her favorite events, and she would never give it up.

“Enough about night hunting,” Mesfin interrupted. “Let us bow our heads and pray to the gods, then, enjoy our meal.”

* * *

**Safiyeh Bereket - Designed by jazba on Artbreeder**

****


	3. 2. In the Dark of the Night

Eren Yeager glanced around nervously as he rode silently among the Survey Corps.

The last 48 hours for the teen had been life-changing, to say the least.

24 hours ago, Eren thought he was normal. Well, normal to an extent. When the wall was breached and his mother killed by Titans, all Eren felt was anger, rage, hatred. Hatred for the creatures that had murdered his mother, anger for himself being too weak to save her, frustration at his father’s disappearance.

To give himself purpose, Eren decided to train to become a warrior for his people.

 _‘I’ll kill them all,’_ Eren swore to himself. _‘I won't rest until every last Titan is smoke in the wind.’_

Graduating at almost the top of his class, Eren forced himself to be the best. When the monster who was the cause of his mother’s death appeared, Eren ran headfirst into battle.

 _‘The kill will be mine,’_ Eren said _. ‘I won’t rest until it’s dead!’_

Instead of killing the Collusal Titan, Eren was eaten.

Before he knew it, Eren was in the body of a Titan himself, and well, as they say, the rest was history.

Although the Miltary Police did not want to let him go, some even wanted him dead, no one was able to stand against the silver tongue of Erwin Smith. Now, an official member of the Scout Regiment, Eren did not know what the future held for him.

He glanced around again, not sure what to say or do. _‘I should be happy that I’m here. I should be happy that I’ve finally achieved my dream. But why am I not…? I suppose it’s because I have too many questions… Was I born this way? Am I the product of some fucked up experiment?’_

“Hey, Eren, did you hear what I said?”

Eren looked up to see Oruo Bozad, one of the Scouts, looking at him. “Huh?”

Oruo sighed, rolling his eyes. “I asked, what did you think of the castle, up ahead? It used to be a proper royal residence, but quite recently, we’ve turned it into our headquarters.”

“Oh, wow,” Eren gasped, his eyes falling upon a magnificent castle in the distance. “It’s… um…”

“You can go ahead and say it’s terrible,” Oruo said, shrugging. “Fancy yes, but absurdly impractical once we got down to business. See that clearing all around?”

“Yes.”

“We believe it was done so that the former inhabitants to protect themselves. From what, we don’t know, but it makes it impossible for us to enter with our ODM gear.”

“At least you can see who’s coming and who’s leaving,” Eren pointed out.

“Still, it’s much far too removed from either a river or the wall,” Oruo replied. “Back in the early days, everyone flocked to join the Scouts. But that was before the true meaning of our work was revealed.”

Eren tried to keep himself focused by staring ahead, but Oruo leaned close. So close in fact that Eren could feel his breath upon his cheeks.

“So, do not be deceived, greenhorn,” Oruo said.

Eren arched an eyebrow. “Excuse me? What do you mean?”

Oruo frowned. “Don’t be expecting the royal treatment here. Got it? We still don’t know if you’re really even human, but between you and me, it doesn’t really matter. Don’t think for a second that we all share the Captain’s enthusi—AWK!”

At that very second his horse sidestepped on a rock, causing the animal the jerk. The sudden movement made Oruo’s jaw slam shut against his tongue.

The seasoned Scout howled as blood dripped down his chin, his hands quickly covering his mouth. Eren looked around franticly for someone to help but found the people around them were laughing.

 _‘Is this…_ normal _?’_ Eren thought, confused _. ‘Does this guy pull this shit all the time and they’re used to it?’_

As their horses passed through the gates of the castle, a young woman with cropped dirty-blonde hair dropped down from her mount and turned to the two.

“That’s what you get, Oruo,” the woman said, rolling her eyes. “For flapping your jowls on horseback.”

Oruo frowned. “Tha wrookie needth ta know hith pwath. First impwessions are importhant.”

The woman clicked her tongue. “Well, you certainly made an impression on him. No question there.”

“Shut up Pethra,” Oruo barked, yet took the offered ice rag.

The cool of the ice rag felt heavenly against his throbbing tongue, and the rag did well to soak up the dripping blood.

Petra watched him and crossed her arms. “If you are trying to act like the Captain, I’d suggest that you stop. It’s downright embarrassing.”

Oruo chuckled and looked up at her “And you’d best keep your crush on our Captain better hidden.”

Petra’s face flushed red. “I… I do not have a crush on… you’re out of your mind! See, this is why no one likes your ass! All you do is hurt yourself or show your ass.”

Again, Oruo laughed, but this time, he wiggled his eyebrows at her. “If you plan to hound me like a wife, Petra dear, there’s a lot more of me you’re going to need to get acquainted with before laying claim to the privilege. Oh wait…you already have.”

That did it.

Petra pulled back her foot and kicked him hard in the shin. Oruo’s head tossed back as he yelled in pain, his leg jerking back as he held his throbbing femur.

“You…you… you jackass!” Petra yelled at him. “One drunken night and you’re going to hold it over my head forever!”

Oruo rubbed his leg. “It was much more than one night…several of which you were quite sober for.”

Petra pulled her foot back again, aiming for his shin, but Oruo moved out of her way.

“I hope you bleed out!” Petra yelled at him before stomping away.

Oruo chuckled and rubbing his leg, his eyes fastening upon her bottom. _‘She’ll be back… she always does.’_

Eren watched all of this out of the corner of his eye, yet said nothing. _‘The Captain…they must be under Levi. Great… just great. If they work for Levi, that means they’re all trained to kill, and no doubt, have ordered to take off my head the moment my eye twitches wrong.’_

* * *

Night came quickly, and while most find the time one of terror and nightmares, Safiyeh’s tribe greeted the night as an old friend.

The young Hadian Heiress tightened the straps of her harness around her waist, making sure they were secure. A simple slip from it would mean life or death. In which if the fall didn’t kill her, then the Giants below would.

Safiyeh shook out the pre-hunt jitters, ignoring the fluttering of her stomach. ‘This always happens, yet in the end, it’s nothing. I always come back.’

Her eyes traveled to the twin black swords that sat on her table. Made of a mineral sacred to her people, the sharp blades were the only things that could cut through the body parts of Giants.

_‘If only Mama had these…if only she was able to defend herself…’_

The sound of a soft horn in the distance ripped Safiyeh from her thoughts. The teenager quickly put the swords into their scabbards and grabbed her bag, before hurrying out to the terrace.

Around her, in the various trees, Safiyeh could see people leaping from their terraces. They were all attached to their harnesses, so there was no fear there. Safiyeh looked up to her father’s terrace, and saw him watching her. He gave her a small nod and smile, giving his blessing for her to lead this Hunt.

Safiyeh’s lips curved into a small smile and nodded. She took several steps back, then got a running start. As Safiyeh leaped in the air, she snapped the hook of her harness against one of the nearby ropes. The wind roared in her ears as she free-fell.

 _‘Flying…’_ Safiyeh thought, her eyes closing with excitement. _‘I’m flighting…’_

Well, she wasn’t flying, the girl knew that. However, free-falling through the thick branches was as close to flying as Safiyeh would get.

Safiyeh opened her eyes just in time to prevent herself from getting slammed into a tree. She twisted her body, spinning around and around, then unclipped her hook. Tuck and roll, Safiyeh grabbed a branch with both hands and backflipped, before landing on the balls of her feet on the ground.

The air around her was soft, quiet, yet Safiyeh knew it would not stay this way for long. She took in the moon, as it shined freely because of the lack of clouds in the sky. A soft twig snap made Safiyeh look up, and she saw her brother appear from around a tree, along with two-dozen of their warriors.

“See anything in your decent?” Temesgen asked.

Safiyeh shook her head. “No. You?”

“Same,” Temesgen said. He crossed his arms then playfully smiled. “All right then, fearless leader, tell me, what are we going to do?”

Safiyeh blinked and looked at the men and women who stood behind her brother.

Like her, they were dressed in all black with hoods over their heads and masks over their faces.

The Hunt was simple. They were to divide into three times: one to hunt down meat, one to locate fruits and other vegetables, and one to gather fresh water. The main thing was to have as few casualties as possible, and not to draw any unwanted attention.

“Tem, did you bring your bow and arrows?” Safiyeh asked.

Temesgen nodded and patted the quiver on his back. “Armed and ready.”

“Then I put you in charge of locating the meat,” Safiyeh commanded. “Zara, I put you in charge of gathering water.”

“And yourself?” Temesgen asked.

“I’ll make sure we gather all the fruits and vegetables in our normal plots,” Safiyeh replied. “Everyone knows the call in case something goes wrong?”

The group nodded.

“We have four hours to get everything we need. Let’s move out.”

“ _Āwo, li‘iliti_!” they said, pounding their fists to their hearts.

Safiyeh swung her grappling hook onto a nearby branch, took several steps back, then swung herself up. Her group followed behind, leaping through the branches like the furry long-tailed creatures that her people sometimes kept as pets.

Their first stop was a large fruit grove, in which plants such as banana and peach trees grew, grape bushes, and tomato vines.

Safiyeh held up her hand for silence, making everyone go still. She narrowed her eyes, holding her breath. A mere six meters away was a Giant, its large head resting against a thick oak tree trunk. This Giant looked only about three-meters tall, which told Safiyeh that it couldn’t be that old. It was playing with what looked to be an elk youngling, a habit that always confused Safiyeh’s people.

The creatures looked like the Outsiders, yet didn’t seem to act like them. Giants only ate people, not animals, which didn’t go in the natural order of the food chain.

“What should we do?” a Warrior whispered to Safiyeh. “It’s in the heart of our grove.”

“I’ll handle it,” Safiyeh whispered back. “You guys stay here.”

Slowly, Safiyeh slid down a level in the tree she was in. Her sharp eyes judged the distance it would take for her to leap to the branch closer to the Giant.

 _‘Shakeout all fear,’_ Safiyeh told herself. _‘Remove all the fear…’_

Safiyeh swung the grabbling hook back and forth. Then, with all her strength, she threw it into the closet tree. Clearing her mind of all other thoughts, she swung forward, moving swiftly through the branches.

The Giant lifted its head when it saw her body. Groaning, it reached out sluggishly, but Safiyeh twisted herself out of reach. She tossed her grappling hook against another branch then drew her swords. Gritting her teeth, Safiyeh sliced through the Giant’s hands, then, spun around, and cut cleanly through the nape of its neck.

Instantly, the Giant fell to the ground with a groan, hot steam rising from its wounds.

Safiyeh pressed herself against a tree trunk and looked around, holding her breath. No Giants were coming after the call of their comrade. Safiyeh and her team were safe, for now.

“Hurry up and get to a gathering,” Safiyeh commanded. “I’m going up to watch out for more Giants.”

The Warriors nodded and swiftly got to work. Some stuffed their sacks with fruits, vegetables, and wild rice; while others plucked cotton from wild patches planted eons ago. Safiyeh watched from above, her eyes searching in all directions, her ears pricked for the sounds of rustling.

Nothing.

A flickering in the distance made Safiyeh look up.

Not far from where she sat was a weird structure. Crafted by the Outsiders years ago, it had been abandoned, for all Safiyeh knew. Yet she could see flames coming from inside.

Safiyeh frowned. _‘That’s weird…if someone is living there…I should check it out, right?’_

_‘We leave the Outsiders alone.’_

Safiyeh was already preparing herself to toss her grappling hook into another branch but stopped. The word of Safiyeh’s Father echoed in her ears, stopping her in her tracks. If she abandoned her group now, then that meant putting them in danger. Safiyeh rarely led the Hunts, and by leaving now, it meant she was abusing her father’s trust in her.

_‘I can’t do that…even though my curiosity is eating the hell out of me. I have to stand by them.’_

The chirping of birds drew Safiyeh’s attention away from the building.

She knew that call.

It was Temesgen signaling her.

Safiyeh looked down at her group. “It’s time to head back. Have you gotten all you can?”

They all nodded.

“Great, then let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I'm so sorry that it's taken me some time to write this new chapter. I've been busy with life and school, but I'm back! Hopefully, I can upload at least twice a month!
> 
> So, I'd love to hear what you guys thought of the chapter, including your ideas for the future! Several characters in the story have either been aged up or ages down, for story-wise purposes. If you want me to clarify the ages of the important players, just tell me, or if you just want to wait, I'm all for that too!
> 
> Until we meet again!
> 
> P.S. If you want a little spoiler, check out the tags *wink wink*


	4. 3. From a Distance

Darkness came before Eren was comfortable with it.

Although the young Scout was used to the night, he never really liked it. To some, the dark meant the time to sleep or the time to cuddle with loved ones. But Eren never really liked doing that.

Since he arrived at the castle, Eren had been doing nothing but cleaning.

Captain Levi hated dirt, and so, everyone was forced to clean the castle from top to bottom. If Levi wasn’t satisfied, they were forced to do it again.

 _‘I never want to see a bucket or mop for the rest of my life,_ ’ Eren thought bitterly as he followed a Scout into the basement. _‘Perhaps they’ll think me too dangerous to clean again, maybe I can tell them I can't do it, or else I’ll turn.’_

Eren shook his head at that.

The last thing he needed was these people being more scared of them than was necessary.

After all, they already didn’t trust him. If he said something like that, then they just kill him and get it over with.

“Must I sleep in the basement?” Eren asked the Scout.

The Scout nodded. “According to Captain Levi and Commander Erwin, you have to. At least until we’re sure of your danger level.”

“And the shackles?” Eren asked, crossing the arms.

“Just a protection measure,” the Scout replied. “The last thing we need is your transforming in your sleep.”

Eren sighed and nodded.

He held out his hands as the shackles were placed on his wrists and legs. He crawled into the hard, unbending bed, and laid back. “Are you going to sit there and watch me all night?”

“You and I both know that answer,” the Scout replied.

“Right…” Eren sighed.

Rising from the bed, he walked to the window and looked out it. The moon was full tonight, giving more light than normal. He could hear the scurrying of animals in the forest, see the rustling of the trees, smell the scent of Nightflowers, that only opened under situations such as this.

 _‘Mom liked Nightflowers…’_ Eren thought. _‘Dad always brought them to her when he found some…’_

A tear slid down his cheek before Eren could stop it, his hand slowly balling into fists _. ‘I will avenge her…avenge Dad. The Titans will regret ever stepping foot over the Walls and ruining our home. I won’t rest until every last one is dead!’_

Elsewhere in the castle, a Scout named Miche sat in a private room, speaking to Erwin and Levi. While Erwin was listening with rapt attention, Levi was only half-listening. Like Eren, he too was looking at the night forest around them.

“Levi?” Erwin said, breaking his thought. “Levi, did you hear me?”

“I hear birds,” Levi said.

Erwin arched an eyebrow. “Birds?”

“Yes,” Levi said. “Birds.”

“Is… something important about the birds?” Miche asked.

“Birds cannot fly at night,” Levi replied, turning to look at them. “They cannot see in the dark. So, why am I hearing them?”

Erwin shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps there is a new species of birds out here, who can see in the night.”

Levi’s eyes narrowed as he turned back to the window, looking out of it. He might not know much of the world, but birds being able to see at night were not something he knew…

“Now, to what I was saying,” Erwin commented. “We have to prove Eren’s usefulness or else the MP’s will take him again.”

Miche arched an eyebrow. “Erwin, we’ve worked together for a long time. Cut the bullshit.”

Erwin chuckled and reached for his glass of brandy. “Sharp nose, like always Miche.”

“It’s sharp enough to smell when you’re telling only a half-truth,” Miche replied. “What’s the real reason that you have the boy here?”

“I’ll tell you everything when the time comes,” Erwin replied, taking a swig of his brandy. “Until then, we need to plan our next scouting mission.”

“When do you think that will be?” Levi asks, finally tearing himself from the window.

Erwin shrugged. “I’m not sure, at least, not at the moment. We need to replenish our numbers. That means we need the new graduates.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “You’re allowing the underlings to join us?”

“We need the numbers,” Erwin retorted.

“You’re going to use them as Titan food.”

“Not everyone wants to live a cushy life as MP or work in the city. Some people want excitement in their lives.”

“Titians are no excitement.”

Erwin leaned back in his seat, drumming his fingers against the armrest of his chair. “There are a couple that I have my eye on…and that’s all I will say for now.”

Levi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine. Let’s just hope that you don’t get us all killed, Erwin.”

* * *

The following morning, Safiyeh sat among her family at her father’s terrace, a light meal shared among them to break their night fast.

“The Hunt went well,” Mesfin said, plopping a grape into his mouth. “You did well, Safiyeh.”

Safiyeh puffed out her chest with pride. “I’ll love to do it again, Father. If allowed.”

Mesfin reached over and playfully ruffled her hair. “Perhaps, my dear. According to your brother, and some of the other Elders, we should be all right for the next couple of weeks.”

Safiyeh’s shoulders sagged.

Although it was not allowed frequently, Safiyeh loved going down to the ground floor of the forest. Wither it was bathing in a nearby waterfall, or smelling the Nightflowers that bloomed on a full moon. Now that there were Outsiders, Safiyeh’s interest was shifting, and she could not deny the desire to get to know more about them was strong.

“Will we continue to keep our distances from The Outsiders?” Temesgen asked as if reading his sisters' mind.

“Of course,” Mesfin said, nodding. “Our Seekers will keep watch of them.”

Temesgen frowned. “ _Ābati_ …we do not know exactly why the Outsiders are here. What if they seek the… _Tekelakayi_?”

Mesfin frowned, his hand tightening around his spoon. “I doubt they know of our that. And even if they did, they can’t take it.”

Safiyeh looked between her brother and father, her eyebrows raised.

The _Tekelakayi_ was a being sent by the gods. It watched over them and drove away the Giants if they came too close to their home. However, Safiyeh had never seen the _Tekelakayi_ before, in fact, no one in her generation had. Its last sighting was back in the time of her father, but that was it.

Safiyeh picked up a piece of roast duck and handed it to her little sister. The toddler snatched it up and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing on the fatty meat with a wide smile.

“Gud!” Hawani giggled.

Mesfin turned to his daughters, the thought of the Protector gone from his mind. “Safiyeh, what are you doing today?”

“I plan to go spar with the other Warriors,” Safiyeh replied. “But that’s all. Why?”

“I want you to watch your sister,” Mesfin ordered.

“But…!” Safiyeh protested, only to be silenced by her father’s look. “ _Āwo, Ābati_.”

Watching over her sister was the last thing that Safiyeh wanted to do with her day, but then again, she couldn’t disobey her father. Sighing, she sat back in her seat, fiddling with her wooden cup.

Her appetite gone, Safiyeh rose to her feet and turned to her father. “Permission to leave, _Ābati_?”

Mesfin nodded. “Of course.”

“Hawani, come on,” Safiyeh said, bending down to pick up the young child.

The two walked to the main pathway rope and Safiyeh made sure to strap her little sister onto her chest. Using her grappling hook, the two flew two levels down, to where the Warriors trained for battle against the Giants or other enemies.

“Why are we here?” Hawani asked.

“I still want to train,” Safiyeh said, crossing her arms. “I can’t spend all my time just watching you.”

Hawani puffed out her lips into a pout. “ _Ābati_ said…”

“I’m doing what _Ābati_ said,” Safiyeh retorted. “But I’m also going to train like I do every morning.”

Safiyeh looks around and takes Hawani to a small, sunny corner of the open terrace. Other warriors normally brought their younger siblings there, or children, so, Hawani had plenty of kids her age to play with and talk to.

“About time you got here, Princess,” a Warrior Boy chuckled. “We were wondering if you were going to show up.”

Safiyeh put a hand on her hip. “Remember how I tossed you on your back, how many times? I don’t need the practice, but you never know.”

The Kids around them all snickered and chuckled, causing the Boy to flush red with anger.

“Enough children,” a sharp and commanding, yet feminine voice said. “It’s too early for you to start fighting.”

Meharene Gebriael, the Elder in charge of training all the warriors, appeared, her arms crossed. The middle-aged woman was highly respected by all, and carried an oak rod in her hands, ready to strike anyone for misbehavior.

“Thank you for joining us,” Meharene said, bowing her head respectfully to Safiyeh, in acknowledgment of her position in their Tribe. “I assume you are staying for the lesson?”

Safiyeh nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“Good,” Meharene said. “Pair up children. We’re doing sparing to warm up.”

One by one, the children paired off, and it was just Safiyeh’s luck that she got paired with the mouthy boy from before. She could not remember his name, not that she cared. He smirked at her, getting into his fighting stance, his feet slightly apart, his arms raised. Safiyeh quickly got into a similar stance, her eyes locked onto him, a confident smirk on her lips.

“Ready when you are,” Safiyeh teased him.

The Boy lunged forward, striking out with his fist.

Safiyeh side stepped twice, then dropped to her knees. Sweeping with her leg in a wide arch, it made the Boy fall backward, but he caught himself before he could land on his back. He pushed off with his hands, backflipping and getting back up, positioning himself back in his stance.

“Good side attack,” the Boy panted. “But I’m going to win this time.”

He struck out again with his fists in rapid succession, trying to overwhelm her. Safiyeh’s eyes watched his hands, her own quickly blocking each punch with an open palm, trying to think ahead. The Boy managed to crack her against the jaw, making Safiyeh stagger back.

“Point me,” the Boy said, smirking.

Safiyeh’s eyes narrowed as she spat out a mouthful of blood. _‘You give a boy a little freedom and it goes right to his head. Well, no more playing.’_

This time, Safiyeh made the first move.

She stuck out with her fist, and when the Boy side-stepped to right dodge, Safiyeh smirked. She side-stepped to the right and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling it over his head before leaning backward. Before they fell, Safiyeh grabbed his belt and flipped him over her shoulder, arching her back so that they fell by his own weight.

The two crashed to the ground with a loud _THUD_. While the Boy landed on his back, Safiyeh straddled him, making sure to center her weight, as to not be able to be flipped off.

“I win,” Safiyeh taunted him.

The Boy grunted, trying to wiggle free, but Safiyeh was unmovable. “Fine! Fine! I give! I give!”

Safiyeh smirked and rounded off him, walking on her hands before lowering her feet to the ground and standing up.

“One day, I’ll beat you, Princess,” the Boy growled, rubbing his sore wrists.

“Deer will fly before then,” Safiyeh sassed, stretching her back.

Meharene clicked her tongue. “Enough, children. If you’re done play sparring, we can begin our Forms. Everyone, grab the practice poles and line up please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> Hope you're loving the chapter, I honestly don't know... but I'd love to know what you guys think so far! We're 3 chapters in, and I hate that they're so sorted, but I don't know if you guys like/hate the book so far because so far I haven't really gotten any comments. My writing reflects on the feedback I get from you guys, but I'll make you guys a bet tho!
> 
> If I get at least 5 new comments, you'll get a super long chapter next Sunday, (maybe sooner if I get more than 5), but please, comment and tell me what you think!
> 
> TTYL!


	5. 4. What Makes a Man…

Eren’s shackles rattled as he yawned, stirring awake in his bed.

The night before had been a dark one, one filled with a dreamless sleep that Eren was grateful to awake from. When he did wake, he found one of the Scouts watching him, although it wasn’t Petra, the Scout he remembered was watching him before we went to sleep.

“Morning,” Eren said in greeting, trying to be cordial.

The Scout looked at him, then looked away.

 _‘So much for being cordial…’_ Eren thought. _“Erm…am I allowed to have breakfast or…?”_

“The Captain said you’ll be summoned sooner or later,” the Scout said. “Until then, shut the fuck up.”

Eren frowned.

This man must have had quite the set of balls on him, to speak such to the teenager who held their salvation.

 _‘Or…their destruction,’_ Eren thought.

With a sigh, he got up from his bed and walked to the window, gazing out it. It was a bright day, yet quite cloudy. In the distance, Eren could see the Scouts on guard duty against any Titans. Some were doing their job, their eyes sharp for any threats. However, some others weren’t. Instead, they were flirting or laughing with their fellow Scouts, some were enjoying an outdoor breakfast. No one seemed so serious, at least that’s what it looked like to Eren.

He sighed and rested his head on his arm, watching everyone living their own lives.

 _‘Is that in the future for me?’_ Eren wondered. _‘Can I even have a life after all of this? Or will I be cursed to be a monster forever?”_

Eren glanced to a Scout couple kissing under what looked to be an apple tree and quickly averted his eyes.

He never gave the thought of being with anyone, after all, who would want to be with a monster? But sometimes…

The click of his cell door being unlocked made Eren turn around. Petra and Oruo stood at the threshold, their arms crossed.

“Captain Levi said for you to go ahead and come,” Petra said.

_‘Finally.’_

Eren waited for Oruo to enter and wake off his shackles, before leading him out of the basement. They walked up several flights of stairs, before entering a large dining hall.

Most of the Scouts within were heading out, or just lounging around. The chattering fell silent when Eren stepped inside, all eyes snapping onto him.

Eren could read their body language to see that they didn’t trust him. Then again, he didn’t blame them. They didn’t know him, nor did they know the full truths of his powers. He’d not trust himself too.

Petra directed Eren to sit down at a table in the back, away from most of the other Scouts. A plate of food was brought to him, and at first, Eren didn’t touch it. Back in training, they were given just enough food to make sure they were able to train, yet here… The plate was almost bursting with pastries, fried eggs, and sausages as if they were trying to stuff him like a pig.

“Um… does everyone get this?” Eren asked.

“Everyone is allowed to get what they want in the morning,” Petra replied, crossing her arms. “Do not think yourself getting any special treatment.”

“I… erm… wouldn’t dare dream,” Eren stammered.

He slowly reached for his food and began to eat. He tried not to glance around yet knew all eyes in the room were on him.

“So, um… what are we…” Eren began to say, only to be cut off by Petra’s cold look. “Never mind…” he whispered, turning back to his food.

Eren continued to eat in silence, trying his hardest to not look like a threat.

“… I can’t believe they’re going to do it,” a Scout said nearby.

Another Scout sighed, sitting back in his seat. “Agreed. But the Commander and the Captains have to have a reason for it.”

Eren’s ears perked up, and he looked to Petra. “Um… excuse me, but what are they talking about?”

Petra sighed. “Not that it is any of your business, but the Commander told the other Captains that he’s planning the next scouting.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Eren asked.

“The new graduates are expected to participate,” Petra replied. “That is if they agree to join us, or the Commander likes them.”

Eren’s eyebrows shot up. _‘New graduates? That means Mikasa, Armin, Connie, Sasha, Jean, Reiner…all my friends from Training. They’ll be coming here too.’_

“How long until this happens?” Eren asked.

“Couple of months, I think,” a Scout named Eld replied. “Gives the newbies time to settle and get better trained if need be.”

Eren’s lip curved before he could stop himself. “As if Mikasa and Reiner need any more training.”

Petra inclined her head. “Those your friends?”

Eren nodded. “Yeah. Well…I’m not sure if they still consider me a friend…save two.”

“Not gonna lie, it feels weird for you to be here,” Petra said.

Eren lowered his eyes, knowing no one trusted him. Not that he judged them. He still was trying to figure out what his purpose was if there was even a reason for him.

Besides killing all the Titans that he could.

“What I still don’t get, is why the Commander is going to put all those newbies in this fight,” another Scout said. “They hardly lived through the last one, why put them through that kind of danger again?”

“Because that’ll be their job, if they want to become Scouts,” Petra countered.

“Still,” Oruo chuckled, taking a swig of brown liquid from his cup. “Makes me wonder if they’ll pee themselves.”

Eren’s eyes flashed as he gripped his spoon tight. “You’ll be surprised with how brave some of the trainees are,” she snarled.

All eyes turned to him, and for once, Eren didn’t care that they were looking at him.

“My friends are among some of the bravest fighters I’ve ever met,” Eren said, his voice tight. “If they’re coming here to be Scouts, it because they trust themselves, and their abilities. I’d trust them with my life.”

“Good,” Levi’s deep voice said behind them.

Everyone at the table stood their feet, snapping to attention. Eren was the only one who didn’t move, but when he tried to stand up, Levi waved it away.

“At ease,” Levi sighed. “Look, Kid, I don’t fully know what Erwin’s full plans are for you, but I know it’s better than what the fuckin’ MP’s would have done to you. I might not make plans about our scouting missions, but I know Erwin’s reasons for doing so, is what’s driving him.”

“I understand that,” Eld said. “But look at it from our perspective. Think of all the lives we lost, all our friends gone, trying to retake Wall Maria. Now hope arrives in the form we never could have imaged…or how to fucking deal with.”

Again, all eyes turned to Eren, who this time, raised his head to look at them all.

“So, how does it work?” Eld asked. “Changing into a titan?”

“It’s not a trick,” Eren said tightly. “And I wish that I could tell you, but I don’t know… my memory is not clear…not now, at least. The best I could explain is that it’s like being in a trance. I’m there but…not there, ya know?”

Levi nodded, taking a sip of his tea.

“Good to know,” Oruo commented. “Doesn’t mean that You-Know-Who isn’t going to have a go at trying to _‘help’_ you.”

“Who?” Eren asked.

The doors banged open as a person burst in, their eyes wild with excitement as he ran up to Eren. Their grin was wide, and their eyes behind their goggles wild, yet they seemed happy and nice enough.

“About the time I met you!” The person said, marching up to Eren. “The names Hange Zoe, but everyone calls me Hange. It’s so good to finally meet you Eren.”

Eren flushed red as this _‘Hange’_ leaned close in his face.

“Interesting…you look almost human,” Hange said.

“Um…the last time I checked; I was human…?” Eren stammered.

“To a point,” Hange said, putting a hand on their hips. “If you haven’t pieced it together, I’m in charge of research here, in the Scout Regiment, and I’d love to have your input and joining me on my quest for scientific discovery!”

Eren glanced to Levi and the others around the table. “Um…I guess…”

“EXCELLENT!” Hange exclaimed. “Tomorrow I’ll see you at first light!”

Levi sighed and leaned back in his chair, glancing out the window as Hange listed off all the things they couldn’t wait to ‘test’ on Eren. However, as he looked out the window, he saw a shadow in a nearby tree, a shadow much too large before that of a normal animal…

* * *

As night fell, Safiyeh watched from the balcony of the terrace as the day Seekers changed shifts with those of the night. The Seekers who had watched the Outsiders looked exhausted, Safiyeh noted, and no doubt were ready to crawl into their beds and sleep.

Safiyeh looked to her Father’s terrace, seeing the balcony was empty and the candlelight was blown out.

 _‘_ Ābati _has gone to bed,’_ Safiyeh thought _. ‘And if he’s asleep…so is Teme and Hawani.’_

Safiyeh’s lips curved into a smirk.

Running into her treehouse, Safiyeh rushed into her room and grabbed her Nightarmor to dress so she could join them.

Nightarmor was the standard protective wear that Safiyeh’s people wore when it came to combat or defense against the Giants. The standard uniform consisted of a long-sleeve undershirt, leather vest, elbow-length gloves, thigh-high socks, and thick-soled boots.

The undershirt and socks were made of a soft, breathable, yet strong fabric that came from the fibers of cocoons spun by grey and white worms. Over this went a leather best made of crocodile skin that was tucked into a pair of matching pants. Because the crocodile skin was both flexible and strong, if a Giant so happened to bite a limb, it was hard for it to be torn off. The boots and gloves were made of deerskin. Black, dark green, and blue were the colors of Safiyeh’s tribe, and all their fabrics were dyed these colors.

Every Warrior was given three pairs of this Nightarmor, and it was to last them a year. The uniform was meant to be skintight, so if it ripped or tore, a Warrior had to fix it themselves. Because of Safiyeh’s high rank, she had people who would fix her armor for her, and she naturally got more than just three, but she tried not to overuse her share.

Safiyeh swiftly braided her thick, mid-back length coils into three braids, then braided them together. Grabbing her facemask, she pulled it over her head and tied the strings at her collar so it couldn’t be yanked off or snagged. Lastly, Safiyeh got her body harness, her twin swords, and then lastly, her weaponry belt that she made sure was tight, before running back outside.

Once outside, Safiyeh uttered three sharp whistles before she grabbed her grappling hook. Attaching it to the central line, the teenager launched herself down, following the line of Seekers, traveling down until she reached the bottom. The second that Safiyeh landed, all eyes snapped onto her, and the leader of the night Seekers, Yoni, stood up.

“ _Li‘iliti_?” Yoni whispered, addressing Safiyeh by her title instead of her name. “What… I…”

“I got bored,” Safiyeh confessed. “I want to watch the Outsiders with you.”

Yoni frowned. “I doubt your Father approves… _Li‘iliti_.”

Safiyeh crossed her arms. “I’m already down here, and we’re not doing anything but watching them. Right? What’s the harm in it?”

Yoni sighed.

It was not his place to argue with the daughter of his Chieftain. But then again, anything happened to Safiyeh, then it meant his death. However, Safiyeh had been trained by Meharene and had defeated more Giants than she had fingers on her hand.

“Fine…” Yoni sighed. “But you will do what I command, Li‘iliti. If I say that something is too dangerous, or to pull back, you will do it, understand?”

Safiyeh nodded. “I understand.”

Yoni nodded and lifted his head to the sky. Putting his lips together, he uttered three sharp whistles between his teeth, the signal for all the Seekers to prepare themselves.

Everyone lifted their masks over their noses and lowered their hoods. Throwing their grappling hooks to the branch of a nearby tree, they were a silent army among the branches. It wasn’t long before they reached the trees that surrounded the Outside encampment.

For the first time, Safiyeh took note of the bare land between their position in the trees, and the Outsider building. She couldn’t tell how wide the space was, but it was a bare band surrounding them. The only way in and out of the building was a narrow road, no doubt to keep attacks by Giants minimum.

“What have you learned about them?” Safiyeh whispered.

“They are not as smart we think,” a Seeker named Abay whispered.

“Oh? Explain.”

“For starters, they only seem to bathe once a week,” Abay replied.

“Once a week?” Safiyeh gasped, horrified.

Her People bathed at least thrice a week, sometimes more, but once had to be unhealthy.

“Anything else?” Safiyeh asked.

“They have bizarre creatures under their command,” a Scout named Henoke whispered. “And sticks that spit fire that is on those stone towers up there.”

“We’ve inspected their discarded waste,” Yoni whispered. “They stuff the food they do not wear into large bags and just toss them to the side.”

“Have you seen any of the hunting?” Safiyeh asked.

Yoni shook his head. “No. They have animals that they slaughter and kill, but the meat smells…weird. It’s unseasoned.”

Safiyeh nodded, her curiosity increasing. “Have you seen who their Chief is?”

“From what we’ve seen, it’s a tall one with golden hair,” Yoni replied. “And he’s always followed by a child.”

“A child? Is he a father?”

“I’m not sure. However, the child always looks angry.”

_‘Angry children? That’s interesting…’_

One by one, the candle lights within the building were blown out, and the inside became dark. Safiyeh watched this, only for her eye to be drawn to movement coming from behind the building. She looked around and saw Yoni whispering to the other Seekers. Seizing her chance, the teenager slowly melted into the shadows, leaping among the branches until she reached the back.

The separation between the forest and building was less thick here. Safiyeh looked both ways and slowly climbed down from her tree, landing soundlessly on the ground.

She looked around, her sharp eyes taking note of even the slightest movement, before taking a step forward. Then, she took another, and then another, and then another. Safiyeh used the shadows over the clouds above as cover, keeping her body tight and prepared to attack if need be. She also kept her hands onto the two small daggers at her side, ready to defend herself.

Before Safiyeh knew it, she crossed the space and was in the bushes behind the Outsider building.

 _‘I did it,’_ Safiyeh thought, grinning to herself.

Surrounding the building was a large, thick wall, which covered everything except for this space. Walking on the balls of her feet, Safiyeh followed the backward path, her eyes wide in amazement.

The Outsider’s taste of design was foreign to her, as it was clear their favored stone, instead of wood and tar-like Safiyeh’s people did.

In her tribe, families lived in massive tree houses made by their ancestors, hundreds of years ago. To prevent the wood from rotting when wet, tar-covered the terraces and important points of the structures. However, if remolding was required, then it would be done small sections at a time. It also helped that the trees that supported these structures were also carved and hallowed at the top, allowing people to live within them.

 _‘But this building is made of stone,’_ Safiyeh thought, running her hand against it. _‘I suppose it makes sense in their minds…as stone does last longer.’_

Safiyeh followed the path to a large, wooden building where she heard animals within. Going inside, Safiyeh’s eyes grew wide at the strange creatures within, brown-furred animals with the bodies of deer yet not having any antlers.

The animal looked at her with large brown eyes and nickered, hanging its head outside of its stall.

“ _Selami_ ,” Safiyeh whispered in greeting, stretching out her hand. “What’s your name?”

The animal pressed its velvety nose against her palm, nickering and flicking its tail. Safiyeh smiled, petting it gently and looking it over.

A gloved hand suddenly shot out and grabbed Safiyeh’s shoulder, the person turning her around.

“What the hell are you doing?” Abay hissed.

“I…I was curious,” Safiyeh whispered.

“You need to come with me right now! Before someone…”

A light at the other end of the structure appeared. Abay grabbed Safiyeh’s arm and pulled her into the stall of the creature, the two burying themselves in the large pile of vegetation in the corner.

Two people appeared, the frowning, angry child and a taller person with dark-brown hair.

 _‘Outsiders…’_ Safiyeh thought.

“Levi, what’s going on?” the Dark-haired Outsider asked.

“I heard something,” the Child – Levi – replied.

“Oh?”

“Clicking.”

“Clicking? Levi, you’re hearing things,” the Dark-haired Outsider said. “Why would there be clicking down here? You should be asleep, nightly guard duty isn’t your job.”

“Doesn’t mean that I can’t do it,” Levi replied. “And I know what I heard. That clicking was so…rhythmic, to be random.”

The Dark-haired Outsider crossed his arms. “Are you still hung up on the idea that there’s something in the forests?”

“I’m not hung up on anything, that isn’t true,” Levi replied. “First it was the whistling of birds at night, now this clicking… Too many things are happening for my taste.”

Levi’s eyes scanned the space that Safiyeh and Abay hid. Safiyeh held her breath and forced herself not to move. After what felt like forever, this Levi finally turned away. He followed the Dark-haired Outsider out of the building, the clicking of their boots growing softer and softer until the sound vanished altogether.

Aday and Safiyeh exhaled the breaths they were holding but knew they couldn’t stay. The Seeker grabbed Safiyeh's hand and pulled her with him as they ran out of the building, and to the trees.

Safiyeh had to face a furious Yoni, but both knew that it could have been a lot worse.

“You are lucky if I don't tell your father what you just did!” Yoni hissed. "You could have gotten hurt!"

“ _Āzinalehu_ ,” Safiyeh whispered, lowering her eyes in apology. “I won’t do it again.”

Yoni frowned, part of him wanting nothing more to do just that, but he understood the curiosity of a young one. Sighing, he motioned for Safiyeh to get partnered with another Seeker, before leading them back to their spot to watch the Outsiders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> So, as promised I'm back with a newer, longer chapter than before, and I hope you like it! So, a lot happened here, so let's break it down.
> 
> Safiyeh is a VERY curious girl. For her people the Outsiders have never come out this far before, so she wants to know why they're there, and what's their purpose. For those wondering about the 'clicking' the Hadi language (Hadi is the name of Safi's Tribe), is based on Xhosa (a South African language) & Amharic (an Ethiopian language).
> 
> Seems like Levi (LOL in her Tribe thinking he's a child! haha), is paying attention and is catching on that they're being watched. Will Safi's Tribe slips up, or will they stay hidden? 
> 
> You'll find out the next chapter! Later!


	6. 5. …What Makes a Monster?

“Hello, my beautiful boys. How are you this morning?” Hange asked.

Eren’s jaw dropped at the scene before him. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Standing no less than six feet away, were two titans.

Bound by thick cords and practically nailed to the ground, both Titans looked no taller than two meters each. They both still had their human-like faces, and yet panted like dogs, their bound arms preventing them from grabbing any of the nearby Scouts.

Eren looked around, seeing that while the other Scouts weren’t as shocked as he was, they still looked disgusted.

“Um…Captain Hange?” Eren asked. “What are they…we...what the fuck is going on?!”

Hange tossed back their head, laughing. “I’m trying to see what makes you different, and what makes you similar. Silly! Go on, see if you can talk to them.”

All eyes turned to Eren.

The young Scout took a tiny step forward, not having any other choice.

“Um…hello?” Eren whispered.

The First Titan moaned and panted, struggling against its bonds but having no avail.

“I’m… Eren…” Eren said. “What’s um… your name?”

No answer came.

Instead, both Titans began to struggle harder against their bonds, moaning and groaning.

Eren instantly took a step back. “Nothing. Why did you think that I could talk to them?”

Hange rubbed their chin. “Well, seeing as you’re at least half Titan, I thought it was at least a try. I asked in the past if they had named, or were in pain. But nothing.”

Eren nodded. “I… I see…”

“Seems my findings are once again consistent with all other past attempts,” Hange replied. “Nothing. Sawney and Beane are mute.”

“Past attempts? What else did you learn?” Eren asked. “And why did you call them Sawney and Beane?”

“I named them after a vicious tribe of cannibals, human cannibals,” Hange replied with a shrug of their shoulders. “Seemed like a proper name.”

“Right…Anything else?”

“They act differently at night,” Hange revealed. “Or in darkness, as we did the sensory deprivation. We all know that Titans are less active at night, we believe that the sun is a key source of energy for them. How do you feel about that, Eren?”

Eren’s eyebrows shot up. “About what?”

“Sunlight,” Hange replied. “Do you feel stronger during the day?”

Eren frowned, thinking it over. “Not really… but then again, I’ve been humans for all I know. This Titan shifting shit is quite new. My father was the night owl, not me.”

Hange nodded. “Interesting…I’ll keep a note of that. But back to Sawney and Beane. You’ll be shocked to know this, as I discovered a profound difference between to two!”

They pointed to Sawney, who had become more relaxed, although its eyes were still fixated upon them. “Sawney here, all but hibernates in the dark. Not even light from a lantern can wake it.”

“Wait, really? What about Beane?” Eren asked.

Hange sighed. “Beane is different. It stayed awake much longer, and in fact, the slightest bit of light can arouse it. It’s a staggering find, believe me!”

“They don’t require food or water to survive,” Eren muttered. “Well, if you don’t count humans…nor do they shit like normal humans…”

Hange nodded, growing excited that someone else shared their interest. “Exactly! They also process vocal organs, but have no need to breathe, nor do they speak! The only thing their bodies seem to metabolize into energy is sunlight! Amazing, isn’t it?!”

“Not exactly the words that I would use, but yeah…I suppose,” Eren replied.

“That’s where you come in Eren,” Hange said. “It is my hypothesis, but I believe that every Titan has a different threshold for sunlight withdrawal, so I have to be careful. But I want to test this out on you.”

“Me?”

“If possible, I want you to try and sleep during the day, then be awake at night,” Hange explained. “I want to see if your powers change.”

Petra, who stood meter feet behind them, cleared her throat. “According to the Commander, Eren is to have no unauthorized… ‘transformations’, Capitan Hange. If you want him to change, you’ll have to talk to Erwin.”

Hange waved their hand dismissively. “Not a hard thing to get. But that’s not the only series of tests, I want to run on you Eren.”

Eren looked at them out of the corner of his eye. “How are you doing it?”

“Doing what?” Hange asked.

“Being so…cheerful,” Eren asked. “How can you be so cheerful and happy around these…these monsters.”

Hange put their arms behind their head, nodding for Eren to follow them. “I used to hate them as well, but…I’ve grown to not look at them as monsters…but as beings beyond our understanding. It wasn’t that long ago we thought of bears as monsters or dark shadows on the wall. We have to have a different point of view so we can figure out why they are here, how they affect us, and if it's possible to either wipe them all out…or live in peace with them.”

Eren almost scoffed at that. The thought of living at peace with the monsters that had murdered his mother and father was absurd. Yet the thought of a way to possibly wipe them all out was appealing.

He glanced around and saw that several of the Scouts were nodding as Hange spoke.

“Do you all feel this way?” Eren asked the closest Scout.

Petra sighed. “I don’t exactly want to spend the rest of my life hunting down these creatures. Let alone, risking my life. One day, I want to settle down, maybe at a farm, and not have to worry about my children playing outside.”

One by one, the other members of the Scouts commented something similar.

They all had their own dreams, and Eren realized that they were all putting their trust in him. Even if it wasn’t fully there, these people were putting their trust in him.

Eren stopped and turned to Hange. “I’ll help you.”

Hange blinked. “What?”

“I’ll help you, no matter what it will take from me,” Eren repeated. “We all have our dreams, myself included. Let’s do it.”

* * *

“ _Li'iliti_ , your Father wants to speak to you,” a low ranked tribesman said.

Safiyeh looked up from sewing a shirt for her sister, her eyebrows raising. Outside the sun had already set, and normally her father retired for bed about this time. In truth, the shirt for her sister was just an excuse that Safiyeh used in case someone came looking for her.

A couple of days had passed since she last went out with the Seekers, and she planned to do so tonight.

Every night she went to watch the Outsiders, Safiyeh grew braver. While she didn’t exactly sneak into their building again, the Tribal Princess explored what lay outside. For example, she poked around their discarded items or watched what happened through the windows.

“I…All right,” Safiyeh said, putting the shirt aside. “I’ll be right there.”

Standing to her feet, Safiyeh fixed her clothes and put on her security belt and harness, before grabbing her grappling hook. The two went to the Central Rope and tossed their hooks up, looping them around an upward branch. Together they climbed up to Mesfin’s tree level and waited on his terrace. The Tribesman motioned for Safiyeh to wait a moment, before walking past the drape to talk to her father. A couple of moments later, Safiyeh was allowed in.

Mesfin was watering a small tree when Safiyeh was announced. The Chief watched as his eldest daughter bowed low to the ground, waiting to be acknowledged.

“You may rise, Safiyeh,” Mesfin said.

Safiyeh stood. “You wished to speak to me, _Ābati_?”

Mesfin nodded. “Yes, I did. I have spoken to Aday…”

Safiyeh’s stomach dropped to the ground. She opened her mouth to protest, but Mesfin held his hand up for silence.

“I understand your curiosity about the Outsiders, my child, but we have these rules for a reason,” Mesfin said.

Safiyeh crossed her arms. “How did you find out? Aday swore he wouldn’t tell.”

Mesfin arched an eyebrow. “I am the Chief of the Hadi, did you not expect me to know?”

“I…I knew that you’d find out…eventually,” Safiyeh replied. “But…”

“But what?” Mesfin asked.

“But I do not believe I’ve done anything wrong, _Ābati_ ,” Safiyeh protested. “While I will admit that me getting too close to the Outsider’s might be a problem, I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Mesfin frowned. “You know our rules, Safiyeh. And while I admire your interest in the Outsiders, our survival depends on staying away from them.” He turned away. “I’ve made my decision.”

“You’re…decision?” Safiyeh repeated. “For what.”

“On if I’ll allow you to continue to watch with the Seekers,” Mesfin replied. “I won’t allow it. You still stop immediately, and from now on, an attendant will be with you at all times.”

“But we might be able to learn from them!” Safiyeh protested. “We might not have to fear them, and maybe we can work together to learn about the Giants! All we have to…”

“Enough!” Mesfin bellowed, having reached his limit. “Enough Safiyeh! This command is not coming from your father but your Chief. I will not lose you to the Outsiders or the Giants. Not like…like…”

Safiyeh knew what he was going to say. “Not like _Inati_ …”

Mesfin bit his lip. “Do not mention her.”

“But you almost did,” Safiyeh countered.

The look her father gave her was one that would freeze a Giant in its tracks. Safiyeh wished she could bite her tongue in half. Mentioning her mother, Outsiders, and Giants in the same sentence once led to the exaction of a tribesman. She knew that the only thing that kept her alive, was the fact she was Mesfin’s daughter. If Safiyeh wasn’t, her head would be rolling by now.

“You will return to your tree,” Mesfin whispered, his voice like ice. “You will not leave it until commanded. Am I understood?”

“ _Ābati_ …”

“Am I understood?!” Mesfin barked.

Safiyeh bowed her head. “Yes, _Ābati_.”

Tears blurred Safiyeh’s eyes as she left his treehouse. She put her grappling hook on the Main Rope, but instead of going to her house like ordered, Safiyeh went down to the ground floor.

Sniffing and rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, Safiyeh went for a walk in the thick bush. No Giants were in the area, so Safiyeh felt comfortable enough to go for a walk by herself.

_‘Of course,_ Ābati _thinks that I’m being too reckless. He’s always been one to be careful, unwilling to take risks! But it’s not my fault that I’m curious. Living in fear of the Giants has to come to an end one day, right? If the Outsiders might be able to help us…then maybe we can figure out too…’_

The snap of a nearby twig made Safiyeh freeze.

The young woman’s eyes narrowed as they shifted around, looking for the source of the snap.

_‘Where did that come from?’_ Safiyeh thought. _‘No Titans were reported and the Outsiders…’_

The bushes less than two meters away began to shake, as a man emerged.

It was an Outsider, Safiyeh could tell by his pale skin and wide, circle eyes. He was dressed similarly like the Outsiders nearby, yet instead of bird wings on his jacket, he had a green horse. The man, although tall, was bent over, in a crouch, his own eyes widening at the sight of the young woman before him.

“Well, well, well…” the Outsider whispered. “What do we have here?”

Safiyeh was frozen in fear.

She had never been this close to an Outsider before, let alone hear the voice of one. The man spoke with a rash, rough accent, but Safiyeh could barely understand what he was saying. Hundreds of years ago, when intermingling was allowed, her Tribe had learned the language of the Outsiders. But after the Outsiders betrayed them, all communication and interaction between the two groups were forbidden. Still, it was a shock to know that the Outsider’s language hadn’t changed much.

“Don’t be afraid little girl,” the Outsider said, as he took a step forward. “I’m just here watching those bastards behind those walls. But…you look a little lost.”

Safiyeh still did not move, such was her fear and shock.

“Don’t worry,” the Outsider purred. “I’ll help you back to wherever your family is. But…why don’t we have a little fun before we go.”

Safiyeh flinched as he knelt in front of her. His land hand reached out, and he ran it down her cheek, neck, and then roughly grabbed her right breast. Instantly, Safiyeh’s hand shot out and slapped his away at the clear violation. The Outsider frowned and glared at her, gritting his teeth.

“Stupid bitch…playing hard to get, huh?” he said. “Doesn’t matter to me.”

This time, instead of reaching out to her, the Outsider lunged. Safiyeh could tell that by the way he was moving, he was trying to pin her to the ground, but she was too quick for him. Rolling out of the way, Safiyeh got to her knees and pressed herself against his back. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, and only a single thought coursed through her mind: escape.

Safiyeh grabbed one of the daggers at her hip. She buried the blade into the corner of the Outsider’s neck, then jerked her hand to the left.

The cut was clean, precise, and deep.

The Outsider didn’t have time to fight against her. All he could do was choke on his blood.

Safiyeh dropped his head in the bloody puddle and got off his back. Blood roared in her ears, and her heart pounded in her chest.

_‘I did it…’_ Safiyeh thought. _‘I… I killed an Outsider…’_

Carefully, Safiyeh moved to roll over the body, searching it. The Outsider had nothing important on it, at least, not that Safiyeh could see. As she rolled the body back over, Safiyeh raised her eyes to look around before she left, but then froze again.

A pair of the coldest grey eyes she had ever seen stared back at her.

Another Outsider.

This Outsider stared at her unblinkingly, then looked down to the body, then back to Safiyeh. He took a step forward, and that’s all that Safiyeh needed. With speed, she didn’t even know she possessed, Safiyeh ran in the opposite direction. Throwing her grappling hook onto a nearby tree, she swung herself up, pressing her body against the thick trunk.

The Second Outsider wasn’t behind her, but Safiyeh didn’t want to risk it. The young woman moved as swiftly, yet quietly, through the trees as she could, not stopping until she reached her treehouse.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Levi Ackerman looked at the body of the dead Military Police.

He knew that they were being watched, but the Military Police officer confused him.

“Captain Levi!” Petra said, pushing her way through the bushes. “There you are.”

Levi continued to stare down at the body. “Get two people to help you with this,” Levi commanded. “we’re taking him back to the castle.”

Petra nodded. “Yes sir.”

Levi looked in the direction to where the girl had fled, yet made no move to follow her. Instead, he turned to head back to the castle. He needed to wake Erwin and have a talk…


	7. 6. Not Alone as One Thought

Levi shoved everyone out of his way as he strode to Erwin’s room.

He didn’t care if Erwin was sleep, naked, or dressed, they had a situation, and it needed to be handled right now.

“Erwin,” Levi barked, banging on the door. “Open up, now.”

There was soft rustling within before the thick wooden door opened, and half-sleep Erwin Smith appeared.

“Levi?” Erwin yawned, rubbing his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“We have a situation,” Levi replied.

“Can it not wait until tomorrow?” Erwin asked.

Levi strode into the room and slammed the dagger the Girl had left into the table. “No, it cannot.”

“What is that?”

“A dagger I pulled from the body of a murdered MP.”

Erwin’s eyes widened; all manner of sleep was forgotten. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?”

“I found, this dagger, in the body of a murdered MP,” Levi repeated.

“And who killed them?”

“A girl dressed in all black who fled into the forest the moment she saw me.”

Erwin pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a shaky breath. “Can you please…say that again, slowly?”

Levi rolled his eyes. “No, I’m not going to. I told you, Erwin, when we arrived, that something was weird.”

“This girl that you saw, do you know why she killed the MP?”

“No, and honestly, I don’t care.”

“I think we should, this was a member of the Military Police. Why were they here?”

“I don’t know, but I had Petra bring the body with me, maybe it can tell us something.”

Erwin nodded and grabbed his shirt, quickly pulling it over his head. The dead MP was brought down to Hange’s ‘lab’ and laid out on a table. A Scout had been sent to find Miche, who was waiting for the two in the darkroom.

“Hange expecting anyone down here?” Erwin asked Levi.

“Not that I know of,” Levi answered.

“Good,” Erwin said. “And it’s several hours until sunrise. Gives us plenty of time to learn from this body.”

Erwin approached the body and grabbed a torch. Leaning close, he peered into the body’s face, frowning. “I don’t recognize him, do any of you two?”

Levi and Miche shook their heads.

“Perhaps that’s on purpose,” Erwin stated. “Miche, take the torch, will you?”

Miche approached and grabbed it, holding the light close to the body, but out of Erwin’s space.

Erwin lifted the MP’s head, observing the clean and precise cut across his throat. “This cut is the cleanest I’ve ever seen before in my life. Levi, what do you think?”

Levi moved forward and peered down at the body without fear. He turned the head left and right. “IT’s cleaner and any cut I’ve seen as well. Never thought I’d ever say those words before in my life.”

“How old did this girl look like?” Erwin asked.

“Girl?” Miche repeated, shocked.

“About eighteen,” Levi replied, ignoring Miche’s surprised look. “Maybe a year older or younger.”

“So still a child…” Erwin murmured. “How was she dressed?”

“In black, and she had a head wrap around her head, preventing me from seeing her face.”

“I’m sorry, can you go back a moment?” Miche asked. “A girl did this?”

“Appears so,” Erwin replied, looking the MP over again. “Look at this, his clothing is loosened, and his pants are unbuckled.”

A heavy silence fell over the trio as the understanding of what this MP’s intentions for the girl were.

Levi’s eyes flashed. “He deserved his fate.”

Erwin didn’t comment, instead, he turned the MP over and saw a backpack strapped to his body. He opened it, then dumped out the contents.

A map tumbled out, as well as simple rations, and a gun.

“This is getting weirder…” Erwin murmured.

“What?” Miche asked.

“This MP was packing for some kind of trip,” Erwin pointed out. “And look at this map, it marks all the spots we stopped on our way here.”

“This MP was spying on us?” Miche asked.

“It appears so. But why?”

“The answer is obvious, isn’t it?” Levi said. “It’s for the Kid.”

Erwin frowned. The thought that the Military Police would be following them had never crossed his mind. He never thought they would want to spy on them, but then again, it was possible.

“It’s clear that several people in power do not trust us…or our teaching of Eren,” Erwin said, tapping his chin. “Why have we not noticed this man following us before?”

“He must have kept his tracks hidden good,” Miche suggested. “Or…”

“He’s not alone,” Levi finished. “We could have a spy among our ranks, and never know it.”

Erwin shook his head. “That’s impossible, no recruits have joined us yet.”

“Doesn’t mean the MP’s didn’t bribe someone already in our group,” Miche suggested.

Levi frowned. “I suppose finding this traitor will settle onto me?”

“Most likely,” Erwin said, with a shrug.

“And the body?” Miche asked.

“We’ll burn it of course,” Erwin replied. “Now, about this girl. Do you think she is a part of the MP’s?”

“As much as I hate to say it, I doubt it,” Levi said. “She seemed shocked to see me and was curious of the MP. If they’re working together, I don’t know who forgot to tell her that.”

“We can assume that she’s not alone then,” Erwin ruled. “And in that case, I saw we increase our scouting bandwidth. If she is alone, then it’s our responsibility to bring her back into civilization.”

“And if she’s an enemy?” Levi asked.

Erwin locked eyes with the Captain. “Then she will be dealt with accordingly.”

* * *

“Safi?”

“Safi?

“Safi, are you all right?”

Safiyeh was ripped from her inner thoughts at the sound of her brother’s voice. “Huh?”

“You’ve been quiet,” Temesgen said.

Safiyeh blinked and glanced at her father, then looked away. “I’m just thinking about something…”

“The Outsiders?” Temesgen asked.

Safiyeh flinched. “What? What about the Outsiders? What have you heard?”

Temesgen’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow, are you all right? What’s with all the questions?”

Safiyeh reached for a piece of bread. “Nothing. I’m fine. Just…wondering. It’s been quiet from the Seekers, so I was wondering…”

Her words were cut off by a Seeker landing softly on the terrace. Safiyeh quickly avoided her gaze but watched out of the corner of her eye as the Seeker approached her father.

Leaning down, the woman whispered in Mesfin’s ear, the Chieftain’s eyes widening before he waved the Seeker away.

Temesgen looked to his father, confused. “What is the matter _Ābati_?”

“One of the Seekers found blood in a spot near the building that the Outsiders inhabit,” Mesfin replied.

“Is that a bad thing?” Temesgen asked. “Was it one of ours?”

Mesfin shook his head. “No, not that we know off. But it was a lot of blood, and so, we should be on high alert.”

“Maybe the Outsiders are fighting among themselves,” Safiyeh suggested, her voice high-pitched as she struggled to stay calm. “That’s what they do, isn’t it? Fight over petty things?”

Mesfin said nothing but instead studied his daughter.

The family finished their light meal, and when Safiyeh rose to leave, Mesfin stopped her.

“I need to talk to the Elder Council,” Mesfin said to his eldest daughter. “Can you take care of your sister?”

“But _Ābati_ , I was going to…” Safiyeh protested but fell silent when her father raised his hand.

“Please, Safiyeh, for once, can you once in your life listen to me!” Mesfin snapped. “I don’t want to argue with you!”

Safiyeh bit her tongue but nodded.

She held out her hand for Hawani to take, the child rushing to her sister’s side. The two went down to Safiyeh’s terrace, where she placed her little sister down.

“Go ahead and play with some of your toys,” Safiyeh said. “I’m going to go clean my sword.”

Hawani went to pick up some of her dolls, while Safiyeh walked to sit in a corner. Her swords sat by themselves, but Safiyeh grabbed her belt first, looking over her daggers.

Absent-mindedly she began to count them, only for her heart to freeze in her chest.

 _‘Wait… that’s not right…’_ Safiyeh thought. _‘One…two… three… four…’_

Safiyeh counted five daggers, instead of the standard six that all Warriors were supposed to have.

 _‘No…’_ Safiyeh thought in horror. _‘No! No! No! No! I left one!’_

Panic began to fill her body as fear coursed through Safiyeh’s veins, the young woman franticly looking around.

_‘Out of all the stupid things that I’ve done, I left a dagger in the body!’_

**_KACKA-BOOM!_ **

The crackle of lightning ripped Safiyeh from her thoughts. She looked around, blinking in confusion at the sound.

_‘Where did that come from? It’s a clear, cloudless day. Lighting?’_

**_KACKA-BOOM!_ **

A flash of light in the corner of Safiyeh’s eye made her turn around. Far off in the distance, a bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens to the ground. But, no smoke rose from the ground from where it had struck.

 _‘That’s odd…’_ Safiyeh thought.

“What’s wrong?” Hawani asked.

“Something is wrong…” Safiyeh said, pointing to the place she had seen the lightning bolt. “I saw a lighting but see no fire.”

“Should we tell _Ābati_?” Hawani asked.

Safiyeh shook her head. “He’s in a meeting with the Elders and the Council. I don’t know if the Seekers saw it either…”

“What should we do?” Hawani asked.

Safiyeh looked down at her sister, and then the place where she saw the lighting. “Let’s go and see what happened.”

Hawani frowned. “I don’t think…”

“We won’t get too close,” Safiyeh swore. “Just to make sure we are in trouble.”

Hawani frowned but nodded.

Safiyeh grabbed her belt and harness and then held out her hand for her sister.

* * *

Meanwhile, in an empty field, Eren coughed as the smell of smoke filled his nostrils.

“No dice,” he said.

Not far, Hange frowned, crossing their arms.

The two had been trying to discover what made Eren’s titan powers activate. For far, they tried twisting his finger, breaking his finger, smashing his hand. Nothing seemed to work, not even Eren biting his hand as he used to.

All they got was a lightning strike, that would fry Eren on the inside, then, he would instantly heal.

“I say we move to the next option,” Hange said, turning to their assistant.

“And that is?” Eren asked, coughing up smoke.

Hange took out a knife. “We remove your hand and see what happens.”

The blood drained from Eren’s face.

“Um…can I go use the bathroom please?” he asked. “I really have to go.”

“I’ll go with you!” Hange exclaimed. “I want to see what your urine looks like!”

“Captain Hange…” one of the nearby Scouts sighed. “I’m starting to think that’s taking it a little bit too far.”

Hange frowned, but then shrugged. “Fine…go find yourself a nice spot Eren, we’ll be right here.”

Eren hurried off into the forest, looking for a discreet place to relieve his bladder. He found a quiet place by a large tree, and after checking to make sure no Titans were close, opened his pants to relieve himself. Once he was done, Eren began the walk back, only to stop.

 _‘That tree doesn’t look familiar…’_ Eren thought, frowning.

He looked around, quickly realizing that in his rush into the forest he didn’t keep track of where he turned. There were no trails here, nor was anything marked for him to find his way back to the group.

 _‘Damn it,’_ He thought with a frown _. ‘Where is everyone…?’_

“Hey!” Eren called out. “Can anyone hear me?!”

No answer.

Panic began to set in. Eren was lost in the forests without his ODM gear, or even his blades to protect himself. He was completely defenseless. The deeper Eren traveled into the forest, the further he felt that he was going from the group. He didn’t have a choice, he needed to find someone to help him.

A rustling nearby made Eren look up, his heart lifting. “Hey! Hange? Is that you?” Eren asked. “You guys really had me…”

The words died on his lips as a 3 Meter Titan emerged from behind it, peeking out at him. Eren’s heart froze in his chest, fear dancing its icy fingers up his spine.

_‘No…’_

The Titan looked at him hungrily, a low groan rumbling in its throat.

“S…Stay back…” Eren stammered. “Stay back!”

The Titan took a step forward and Eren took a step back, only to trip and fall over a rock. The Titan rushed forward, his hands outstretched greedily and ready to snap him up. Frozen in fear, Eren was helpless, his mind blank as he readied himself to be devoured.

Suddenly, a black blur appeared.

Something, no someone, shot down from the trees above. The sun reflected off of something in their hands, momentarily blinding Eren, as the person free fell to the ground.

Then he heard it, the sickening sharp sound of a blade cutting through flesh. The person dropped behind the Titan, the head of the monster fell from its shoulders and landed on the ground with a loud THUD. Eren watched with wide eyes as the Titan’s body fell to the ground, steam immediately rising from the corpse.

Behind it, his rescuer slowly rose to their feet, the blue eyes behind their mask locking with Eren’s green. Slowly, they reached behind their head and pulled some kind of string, then pulled off the mask that they wore.

It was a girl.

The girl looked to be close to Eren’s own age, meaning she was around 17 or 18. Her face was heart-shaped, the hair on her head was a dark brown, with light streaks of auburn, and lastly…her skin was almost as dark as the leather armor that she wore. The armor that she wore was unlike anything Eren had ever seen before, as the breastplate looked to be made of lizard skin while the rest was normal leather and cotton.

Blood roared in Eren’s ears as he watched the girl’s grip on the swords in her hand tightened. Eren couldn’t get a good enough look from where he sat, but the blades he could tell were midnight black.

“I…” Eren stammered.

The girl opened her mouth and clicked her tongue, her mouth moving as if she was speaking.

Eren swallowed the lump in his throat. “I…I don’t understand…if you’re trying to speak to me…Do you understand men?”

The Girl inclined her head as if contemplating on whether to listen to him or not. She looked at him with keen interest, as if she had never seen something like him before.

Eren slowly rose to his feet, the Girl immediately raising her twin swords in defense.

Eren lifted his hands. “I’m not…going to hurt you… I just want to thank you. For saving me.”

The Girl looked down at the Titan and pointed at it with her sword.

Eren nodded. “Yes, you saved me. What are you…?”

“OH MY FUCKING GOODNESS!” Hange’s voice called out. “I JUST FOUND A FUCKING BABY!”

Eren’s head jerked around, he and the Girl looking in the direction of the voice. The blood drained from the Girl’s face and Eren wondered if she understood what Hange was saying.

“Is that your baby?” Eren asked.

The Girl didn’t reply and instead continued to look at him. She then stiffened and fled into the forest, and for a moment Eren wondered why, but then a small form flew past Eren.

Levi.

“Captain!” Eren called out.

Levi ignored him.

The Scout Captain chased after the girl and got ready to activate this ODM gear, only to stop when Hange called out again.

“A BABY! I FOUND A FUCKING BABY GUYS!” Hange screeched.

Levi frowned and stopped his pursuit. _‘A baby…’_ he thought. _‘Could it be hers?’_

“Captain!” Eren called out, appearing at his side, having chased him. “How long…” Eren panted. “How long have you been here?”

“The whole time, idiot,” Levi scoffed.

Eren’s face flushed red. “You saw me pee?”

Levi rolled his eyes. “No. As if I would watch that. I did see the Girl kill that Titan. I’m almost impressed.”

Eren looked in the direction where the girl had fled, then turned back to Levi. “Wait, if you were there the whole time…why didn’t you stop the Titan?”

“I wanted to see what would happen if you just yelled at it,” Levi replied. “Don’t worry, I would have saved you before you got chewed too badly.”

“Geee…thanks…” Eren grumbled.

Levi responded by kicking him in the ass, a familiar thing by now between the two of them.

“Look, let us go see what Hange has found,” Levi said. “This ‘baby’…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I hope you love the chapter, I had so much fun writing it!!! I know, it's a tease, but I promise you, we're getting closer to the BIG MEETING! I don't know if I mentioned this before, but several characters have been with aged up or aged down. If you want me to break down who is what, please tell me and I'll do it.
> 
> But, our girl saved Eren and sparks have begun to fly! Well, blade sparks, but it's close enough! And oh no, they have Hawani, Safi's little sister! Mesfin (her father) is not going to be happy about this at all.
> 
> Question: Do you guys like these 3k word chapters? Or do you want longer ones, like 6k? I can do it, but it'll be like updates twice a month instead of once a week.
> 
> TTYL guys!
> 
> P.S. The more comments the later I write! If I get 10 comments, I'll update by next week!


	8. 7. The Missing Link

Hange grinned as they stared down at the child before them.

The little girl looked to be no older than 5 or 6, however, she looked…different.

For starters, the girl’s skin was a shade of dark brown, and her almond-shaped eyes were a bright shade of sky-blue. She was dressed in some kind of outfit made from black fabric dyed black and dark blue, and there was a weird harness around her chest. Lastly, her light-brown hair was braided into a crown around her head, save for a couple of coils cascading down her cheeks.

“Hello there!” Hange cooed. “What’s your name, Little One?”

“Hange!” Levi yelled out as he and Eren emerged from the bush. “Get away from her!”

Hange arched an eyebrow. “What? Why? She’s just an innocent little…”

The Little Girl let out an ear-piercing shriek and took off running into the woods. While the other Scouts moved to get out of her way, the Little Girl tried to duck past Levi but he grabbed her by the collar. She yelped as Levi lifted her off the ground, and began to kick and scream, her tongue clicking.

“That clicking…” Levi said, his eyes narrowing. “It came from her people…”

Hange rubbed their ears. “What do you mean ‘her people’?”

“There’s another girl out there in the forest,” Eren replied. “She saved me from a Titan and…”

“Hold on, hold on, hold on,” Hange said, holding up their hand. “Repeat that for me?”

“We don’t have time for this foolishness Hange,” Levi snapped, extending his arm so the Little Girl couldn’t kick at him.

Hange huffed, rolling their eyes. “Well then, Sir, what are we going to do with her?”

“We could just give her back to the older Girl that’s wandering around,” Eren suggested.

“You’re just saying that because she saved your ass,” Levi scoffed.

Eren looked away, his cheeks burning.

“It’s too dangerous to let her just run around,” Levi said. “I say we bring her back to the castle.”

“And if the older girl comes looking for her?” Eren asked.

Levi’s gaze was cutting. “She’ll know where to find us.”

He handed the squirming, kicking girl to large male Scout, who could handle her sharp nails and sharp kicks. Hurrying back to the castle, the Scout practically tossed the Little Girl into one of the empty bedrooms and closed the door.

Word had already been sent to Erwin, who summoned Levi, Hange, and Eren into his office.

“Tell me what happened,” Erwin asked, sitting back in his chair.

“Well…” Hange began, but Erwin shook his head.

“Let me first hear from Eren,” Erwin said. “He saw the older girl, I assume?”

Eren nodded. “Yes, I did. I went to…use the bathroom in the forest and got lost. A Titan found me, and since I didn’t have my gear, I feared I was going to get eaten.”

“And their girl saved you?” Erwin asked.

Eren nodded again. “Yes, she did. I don’t know what kind of weapons she had, but she cut the Titan’s head clean from its shoulders. She made this weird clicking sound with her tongue, but I think she was trying to talk to me.”

“After of which, I found the little one!” Hange pipped in. “Can I please go back in and study her?! Perhaps she’s the missing link between man and Titan! Perhaps we can…”

“I don’t believe she would take kindly to you considering her some kind of…subject,” Erwin interrupted. “Where is the little girl now?”

“In one of the bedrooms,” Levi replied, crossing his arms. “And she made that weird clicking sound. Just like I told you I hear sometimes at night.”

“I doubt this little girl is the one doing all of this,” Erwin commented, rubbing his chin. “And perhaps, if there’s this one girl, then there must be more.”

“Think they’re working with the MP’s?” Miche asked.

Levi shook his head. “I doubt it. It’s the same girl who killed that MP who tried to assault her. I’d say they hate them almost as much as we do.”

“What are you doing to do with her?” Eren asked, his voice soft. “Can’t we just…give her back to the older one?”

“As I said back in the woods if she wants her, the Older Girl can come and get her,” Levi snapped.

Erwin frowned. “We can’t just release her into the woods. But at the same time, we do need to reunite her with her people. Let’s wait until she calms down, and see what happens.”

“Will you listen to me now?” Levi asked, grumbling under his breath.

Meanwhile, Safiyeh watched from the branches of a nearby tree, trying to not panic.

‘I am going to be in so much trouble!’ Safiyeh thought to herself. ‘Father is going to kill me!’

She watched as the Outsiders took her screaming, squirming sister into the building, a wooden barrier closing behind them. Safiyeh didn’t know what to do, her mind trying to figure out the right way to move forward. Someone loomed behind her, and Safiyeh whipped around, her hand on her sword, only for Temesgen to grab her wrist.

Her older brother’s face was pale, his eyes wide with shock and horror. He looked to her, and it was at moment that Safiyeh knew, he had seen it.

“Tem…” Safiyeh whispered.

“We need to tell, Father,” Temesgen barked.

“But…”

Temesgen grabbed her arm, pulling her with him. “Now, Safi!”

Safiyeh swallowed the lump in her throat. There was no escaping this…she had to face the truth.

Within her 18 years of life, Safiyeh had only seen her father get angry twice. Then again, those two times Safiyeh couldn’t exactly call him angry, more so annoyed.

But today, Mesfin was the angriest he had ever been.

Safiyeh was forced to stand in front of the Council, her head bowed, as she listened to her father rage.

“…AND YOU DELIBERATELY DISOBEYED ME!” Mesfin bellowed. “OUT OF EVERYTHING, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE OUTSIDERS!”

Were Safiyeh still a child, he would have ordered her to be beaten with one of the many wood rods nearby. Now, she had to settle for a verbal lashing, which no less hurt or stung.

“Please, _Li'ilinetihi_ ,” a Councilwoman said. “We need not let the whole forest hear your rage.”

“I warned you, Safiyeh,” Mesfin yelled at his eldest, ignoring the Councilwoman. “I wanted you time and time again, but are you so wise in the world that my words mean nothing?!”

“I saw lightning!” Safiyeh protested, trying to defend herself.

“You should have alerted the Seekers!” Mesfin yelled.

“I didn’t see smoke, and I didn’t want to disturb them,” Safiyeh argued. “And I was being responsible, I took Hawani with me!”

“Better you left her here, at least she wouldn’t have fallen into the hands of the Outsiders!”

“I was trying to help one! A Giant was going to eat him! I couldn’t let him die!”

“Yes, you should have! If the Outsiders die, it is no bother of ours! I told you to stay away from them, to stop this obsession of yours!”

“Where do you think I got it from?!” Safiyeh blurted out.

A hush fell over the Council circle, and Temesgen shook his head vigorously, telling Safiyeh to drop the matter. But the teen girl couldn’t, she had been holding onto this anger for too long.

“You blame the outsiders for the death of _Inati_ ,” Safiyeh countered. “But in truth, she was just like me, curious and wanting to figure out a way for us to work together.”

“Safiyeh!” Mesfin barked. “Leave your mother out of this!”

But Safiyeh would not be silenced. “ _Inati_ wanted to learn their ways, to try and figure out how the Outsiders repel the Giants. If you weren’t so scared and staying in the trees, maybe she wouldn’t have died!”

The slap came before Safiyeh could see her father move, the force of the blow caused Safiyeh to fall to the ground.

Safiyeh’s lip trembled as she slowly reached up and touched her burning cheek.

Mesfin looked at his hand in horror.

He never had struck his children before. While other parents had, Mesfin had never lifted a single finger against them. _‘And now I hit her….’_

Mesfin took a step forward. “Safi…”

Safiyeh scrambled to her feet, tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Without a word she fled from the terrace, grabbing the Main Rope and traveling down to her treehouse.

Mesfin looked to his son, who rose slowly to his feet. Temesgen bowed and followed his sister, landing softly on her terrace.

“Safi?” Temesgen whispered. “Safi, where are you?”

Safiyeh lay on her bed, sobbing into her pillow. “He… He… He…”

“He didn’t mean it, Safi,” Temesgen whispered, rubbing her back.

“He blames me,” Safiyeh sniffed. “I didn’t mean to lose Hawani! And he knows that I’ll get her back!”

Temesgen shook his head. “Safi, no!”

“I have to rescue her,” Safiyeh argued back. “It’s the only way I can redeem myself.”

“But by putting yourself in danger?” Temesgen asked. “Let _Ābati_ handle this.”

“Father will hesitate, and who knows what those Outsiders are doing to Hawani,” Safiyeh said, her decision made. “Now, are you going to help me save our sister or not?”

Temesgen frowned.

He could have easily told Safiyeh no, or even run to tell their father. But both were stubborn. He also knew that if he didn’t go with Safiyeh, she most likely would kill the Outsiders in her attempt to save Hawani. The last thing their Tribe needed was another war between them and the Outsiders.

“Fine,” Temesgen sighed. “I’ll come with you. But we will do this my way.”

“Your way?” Safiyeh repeated.

Temesgen nodded. “We will go around midnight when the Outsiders are sleeping. I doubt most of them are awake at night like us. We also will take our swords, but only for defense, no killing is necessary.”

“And if the Outsiders try and capture us?” Safiyeh asked.

“We use our hand-to-hand combat. And if things get out of hand, we have those darts that will make them fall unconscious. No killing, all right?”

“All right.”

Temesgen nodded. “Good, now, let’s get some sleep. We have about six hours until we can leave. We go in, find Hawani, then get out.”

* * *

As night fell, Safiyeh and Temesgen slipped through the dark shadows.

The two were on a mission to rescue their sister, and they did not want anyone to stop them. They even made sure to give the Seekers a wide berth, as they could not risk them telling their father.

The mission for them was simple: slip into the Outsider’s building, find Hawani, then get out. The only reason they had brought their swords was for defense, although Temesgen wasn’t exactly sure if they were going to be needed.

They moved quietly through the trees, coming to stop behind the large building.

“Where do you think they are keeping her?” Temesgen whispered.

“I saw them take her through that main barrier,” Safiyeh whispered, pointing to the front. “But for all we know, she could be anywhere…”

Temesgen frowned, looking the structure over. “It’s so big…We should spread out. I don’t have to tell you the rules…”

Safiyeh sighed, rolling her eyes. “I know, I know, I know… Knock them out only, no killing.”

Temesgen nodded. “Good. We will meet here if either of us finds Hawani. We have one hour.”

“I understand,” Safiyeh said, nodding.

The two tightened their masks before entering through the back building, where the horses were kept. They waited a couple of moments before reaching a large door, then, slowly pulled it open.

Safiyeh flinched as the bright torchlight flooded their sensitive eyes, and quickly closed the door behind her and her brother. Crouched down, the two crept down the empty hallway, the laughing and chattering of Outsiders filling the air.

Temesgen signaled to his sister for her to go one way, while he went another way.

Safiyeh nodded and began to climb up a flight of stairs, while Temesgen walked toward a room nearby. The teen made sure to keep her senses sharp, not wanting to raise the alarm. As Safiyeh thoughted through the halls, checking the rooms, she uttered three sharp whistles through her teeth.

The whistle was a standard Hadi call for one who was injured. Safiyeh hoped that Hawani would hear it and whistle back, thus directing her to where the child might be.

As Safiyeh rounded a corner, she froze.

Two Outsiders stood not far, their backs to her, talking among themselves.

Safiyeh’s instinct was to draw her swords or daggers, slitting their throats to silence them. But then she remembered her brother’s words.

Begrudgingly, Safiyeh slowly pulled her hands away from her swords, and instead reached for her small blow dart funnel. She armed it with two darts, the sharp point coated with a paralyzing toxin, and aimed. Safiyeh snatched a side-ways breath, then blew twice.

The darts hit their marks, the Outsiders flinching and slapping the back of their necks.

“What the fuck was that?” the First One snapped.

“Ow!” the Second One yelped.

Almost immediately the toxin began to work.

Both Outsiders began to sway as their limbs became heavy and unresponsive. With a thud they fell to the ground, their eyes wide as they tried to talk, but only gurgling noises came from their mouths.

Safiyeh emerged from the darkness. She grabbed the first body and pulled the person into an empty room, then did the same with the second. Safiyeh closed the door quickly behind her and put a chair in front of it.

The toxin wasn’t fatal, and they would be able to move and shout in around three hours. By then, they should be out and back home.

Safiyeh continued to whistle between her teeth as she looked within the rooms, and still no response.

But then, Safiyeh heard it.

Two sharp, medium-length whistles back.

_‘Hawani!’_ Safiyeh thought.

Safiyeh whistled once, asking Hawani to confirm her location. Hawani replied with three rapid whistles, telling Safiyeh that she was east of where she stood.

Acting quickly, Safiyeh hurried in that direction, yet making sure that no one saw her. She walked up a level of stairs and came to a single door. It was unguarded, and when Safiyeh whistled, Hawani answered back.

Safiyeh looked right and left, seeing two open doors at the end of the hallways, yet did not see anyone in them. Without a second thought, she pushed open the door in front of her and went inside.

“Tilik'i ihiti!” Hawani cried out, then threw her arms around Safiyeh’s waist.

Safiyeh dropped to her knees and hugged her sister tight, then pulled her away, looking her over. “What happened? Did the Outsiders hurt you? Torture you?”

Hawani shook her head. “They did not touch me. However, the Angry Child seemed to be rude and mean.”

Safiyeh hugged her again. “We’re going home, do not worry. I’m sorry that I allowed you to get taken. That one Outsider distracted me. It was a trap.”

“I do not think so,” Hawani replied. “He’s held captive here too.”

Safiyeh arched an eyebrow. She had never heard of the Outsiders holding their hostage. Her mind went back to how shocked he was when he saw her as if he didn’t even know she existed.

_‘But that doesn’t make any sense,’_ Safiyeh thought. _‘All Outsiders hate us…that’s what Father and the Elders told us. That’s why we keep to the trees.’_

“We don’t have to talk about it now,” Safiyeh said. “Let’s go home.”

Safiyeh reached to her side and handed Hawani a mask. She helped her sister tie it on, then picked her up, walking to the door.

No sooner had Safiyeh opened the door, did she hear something click. Something narrow and silver was pointed at her face, and five Outsiders, lead by the Angry Child, stood in front of her.

“I knew you’d come for her,” the Angry Child said, swords in his hands.

The glare of the Angry Child sent a shudder of fear up Safiyeh’s spine, but she held her sister close to her chest, her eyes narrowed.

“You are going to come with me,” the Angry Child said, pointing one of his swords at her. “And please know that I only ask people to do things once.”

Safiyeh glanced to Hawani, then to the Angry Child and the other Outsiders. A movement behind the group caught her attention, and Safiyeh smirked.

Temesgen appeared out of the shadows, armed with the blow dart funnel. He armed it with three darts, and blew, hitting his mark each time. The three afflicted Outsiders cried out as they dropped to the ground, and Safiyeh used this distraction to her advantage.

Gathering herself, Safiyeh got a running start.

The Angry Child had mere moments to react as Safiyeh flew over his head. For the briefest of moments they locked eyes, but Safiyeh did not let it distract her. Landing on the balls of her feet, the young woman took off as fast as she could, clutching Hawani tightly to her chest.

“What happened to not making a scene?!” Temesgen snapped.

“I did as you said!” Safiyeh argued as they ran. “How was I supposed to know they were smart enough to lay a trap?”

Temesgen rolled his eyes with a huff, yet lead his sisters through the halls.

He had heard their whistles earlier and thus cleared a path for them.

“Stop them!” The Angry Child yelled behind them. “Don’t let them get away!”

“I doubt we can go out of the animal holding area,” Safiyeh panted.

Temesgen nodded. “I already tried that. The door’s locked. We’ll have to find another way.”

“Just a space that let us get to the Seekers,” Safiyeh said. “Then, we should be fine.”

Temesgen led the two through various twists and turns, and since Safiyeh held their sister, he was forced to defend them. It wasn’t long, however, before Temesgen ran out of darts.

The Trio finally made it outside and saw that they were at the top of the Outside structure, allowing them to see in all directions. Temesgen tried to lead them to the right, but Outsiders appeared. He tried to lead them to the left, but more Outsiders appeared, lead by the Angry Child.

Temesgen and Safiyeh quickly formed a protective barrier in front of their young sister and drew their swords. The warning was clear, do not come any closer.

“What do we do?” one of the Outsiders asked the Angry Child.

“For some reason, Erwin wants them alive,” the Angry Child huffed, rolling his eyes. “We have no choice but to listen to him.”

“What’s the plan, Tem?” Safiyeh whispered.

Temesgen frowned. Like his sister, he roughly understood what the Outsiders were saying. However, he was not sure if they would understand him if he spoke.

“I said no killing…” Temesgen replied.

“Kind of hard for us not to do that when they are set on killing us,” Safiyeh grumbled.

Slowly, Safiyeh put her swords back into their holders and moved to stand behind her brother. Temesgen held his swords in a wide arch, his warning clear. A tense stand-off held between both groups, with each side waiting for the other to make the first move.

Safiyeh glanced behind her and saw that the branch of a tree wasn’t that far away. Behind the Outsiders, people began to shift and move, with two figures emerging, holding nets in their hands.

“Tem, we have to get out of here,” Safiyeh hissed. “They’re going to try and catch us! To the tree.”

Temesgen glanced behind him and saw the tree that she meant.

Safiyeh once again picked up her sister and took off running against the top of the structure, locking her legs to prevent herself from slipping. Temesgen was right behind her, the two of them leaping and spinning, backflipping to dodge the nets that were thrown at them. Temesgen cut through the nets easily with his swords, while Safiyeh grabbed one of her daggers to help.

As they neared the edge of the structure, they increased their speed, and then leaped with all their strength.

Temesgen went flying first and threw out his grappling hook. The barbed ends dug into the nearby tree, the rope wrapping around the thick branch. As Temesgen soared through the hair, Safiyeh’s strangled yelp made him look back.

A rope was wrapped around his sister’s leg, and as they locked eyes, they knew what this meant.

Temesgen held out his arms for Hawani, who grabbed him instantly, the two landings safely in the large tree.

As for Safiyeh, she used her lower strength to yank the Outsider down who’s rope had her leg. Both crashed to the ground with a sickening crunch, Temesgen peering over the edge of the tree branch to see if she was alright.

Safiyeh slowly rose to her feet, grunting in pain at her hurt arm, but thankful it wasn’t broken.

“Safi!” Temesgen cried out, drawing his swords.

Safiyeh looked at him and shook her head. “I’ll be all right,” she panted. “Get Hawani home.”

Temesgen grits his teeth, but knew that he could trust her. Grabbing Hawani, the two disappeared in the thick forests, meanwhile, Safiyeh slowly turned to face the swell of Outsiders, readying herself.


	9. 8. Treaty

Safiyeh was bound to a chair, her head covered.

While most would be flailing, yelling, the young woman stayed calm.

_‘They don’t know how many of us are out there,’_ Safiyeh told herself. _‘And if Tem and I are bold enough to take our sister back, they don’t know if we’ll storm this place. You have to be calm Safi, be calm.’_

The bag was yanked from her head, light flooding her senses. Safiyeh hissed and turned her head away, her sensitive eyes burning.

“Don’t turn away,” a deep voice said at her side. “There’s no way out of this.”

Safiyeh slowly raised her head until she was face-to-face with the Angry Child.

_‘No…’_ Safiyeh thought as they locked eyes. ‘ _He_ _’s not a child. He’s a grown man. But… he’s so tiny. Is it possible for someone to be that small?’_

The Angry Child – no man – stared at Safiyeh with his arms crossed. Safiyeh looked to his right and saw her swords and daggers were on laying on a table, as was her blowdart funnel and darts.

The Small Man wasn’t alone in the room, as there were two other men, both had golden hair but one’s face was hard while the other’s face was gentler. The man with the softer face looked at Safiyeh with kindness, while the other two men… not so much.

“So,” the Small Man said, cracking his knuckles. “Are we going to go about this the easy way, or am I going to have to raise my voice?”

The Kind Man held up his hand. “No need for threats Levi. She’s about the same age as Eren. She’s still a child.”

“A child who’s been watching us for who knows how long, giving information to who knows who,” Levi snapped. “You’re too trusting Erwin.”

This ‘Erwin’, arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “By the looks of her, I highly doubt that she’s working with the MP’s. If anything, she doesn’t work for anyone, save possibly herself. Besides, can you blame her for breaking in here? We stole…” he turned back to Safiyeh. “The little girl, she was your sister, was she not?”

Safiyeh kept her face blank, saying nothing. _‘I can not let them know that I understand them. Not yet… Not until I figure out what they want…’_

Erwin took her silence as a ‘yes’. “I apologize if your sister was frightened. However, you must admit, that we are in a…sticky situation here. She was a small child in the woods, and we could not leave her alone to the Titans.”

Levi scowled, not liking how slow this conversation was going. “How many others are there of you? You aren’t living out here alone. These weapons you could not have made them by yourself.”

“Perhaps she did,” Erwin commented.

“Or maybe she’s working with someone who’s neither an MP nor a Scout,” Levi argued.

“Enough you two,” the Third man snapped, getting in the middle. “We aren’t getting anywhere. The girl either doesn’t understand us or is pretending not to know.”

Erwin rubbed his shin, thinking something over. “Where’s Eren?”

“Eren? What’s he to do with this?” Levi asked.

“Eren saw her, did he not?” Erwin pointed out. “She saved him from a Titan, maybe he can get her to talk, and make her understand that we mean her no harm.”

Levi frowned, but slowly left the room. When he came back, it was with the boy from before, this… ‘Eren’. It was the boy she had saved from a Giant, the reason that she was separated from her sister.

“You…” Safiyeh hissed.

Before any of them could stop her, Safiyeh rolled backward. Using all her weight she smashed the chair, tucking and rolling until her hands were in front of her, yet still bound with rope.

Levi drew a knife at his side, but this Erwin got in front of him. Holding up his hands, Erwin shook his head at Levi, then turned back to Safiyeh.

“We mean you no harm,” Erwin said quickly. “Tell us who you are and what you want.”

Safiyeh panted softly, her eyes narrow. “Let… Go…” she said slowly in their language.

“I’m sorry, we can not do that,” Erwin replied. “We can not let you go alone in the forest by yourself. And, we have questions for you. However, I assume that you are tired. After all, it is the middle of the night.”

“Let… Go…” Safiyeh repeated. “Now…”

Again, Erwin shook his head. “I can not let you go so freely. So, you will be kept here, but do not believe yourself a prisoner. You are our guest.”

Safiyeh looked between the four of them, her lips curved into a deep frown. She knew that the word ‘guest’ was heavy, and truly did not mean that they meant it. However, Safiyeh was going to have to be careful.

‘I have to at least pretend to know now what’s going on,’ Safiyeh thought to herself. ‘For all they know, I’ve only picked up a sentence of two. Good. I can use that.’

Slowly, Safiyeh relaxed her body and stood up straight. She lifted her chin and nodded, but there was a fire in her eyes.

“We will place you in a room for now,” Erwin said. “And food will be brought for you. I’m sure that your hungry and tired.”

Safiyeh said nothing but instead glanced to the one called Eren. There was something about him. Something… something she did not understand nor had a name for… was it a connection of sorts?

She followed one of the Outsiders without question, leaving the room. However, as they rounded a corner, Safiyeh seized her chance.

Safiyeh brought back her leg and kicked the Outsider with all her might. The man yelped, his cry signaling to the others that something was wrong. Jumping, Safiyeh brought her hands in front of her and took off running as fast as she could. They were on the ground floor, as well as towards the back, where the animals were kept.

Not looking back, Safiyeh kept running, not letting them get the chance to capture her again. As she ran, Safiyeh heard a whistle come from the trees, a whistle that she knew.

_‘Teme!’_ Safiyeh thought in triumph.

“Stop here!” She heard the one called Levi shout. “After her!”

Safiyeh heard someone grunt, as well as something rustling. She didn’t know if it was a net or some kind of weapon to bring her down, but Safiyeh wasn’t going to wait to find out. Lowering her body, the teen increased her speed, her small, lithe body cutting through the air as she finally reached the trees.

_‘Where are there. Where are they?’_ Safiyeh thought franticly. _‘Where the…’_

“AHH!”

Safiyeh yelped as a body tackled her to the ground, the Small Man - this Levi - had tackled her.

Calling upon her training, Safiyeh rolled them, getting her feet under his chest. With a soft grunt, Safiyeh pushed with all her might, kicking the Small Man into a nearby tree. Yet, he was unphased. Instead, this Levi drew two blades from his sides, and around him, the other Outsiders emerged. They pointed their fire sticks at Safiyeh, while their leader, Erwin, pushed his way forward.

“Why did you…” Erwin began to say, only to fall silent was four dozen shadowy figures dropped from the branches above.

Someone dropped behind Safiyeh, cutting her bound hands, and when Safiyeh looked, she saw the familiar glitter of her brother’s eyes.

“Teme!” Safiyeh whispered.

Temesgen nodded and winked at his sister, before moving to stand in front of her. “Warriors!” he barked in their tongue.

The Seekers all rose from their hiding spots, some pressed swords against the Outsider’s backs, while others knocked arrows aimed for hearts or brains. For the first time, in centuries, the Hadi had revealed themselves to the Outsiders who lived below.

* * *

Mesfin looked to his daughter, his expression unreadable. Then he turned back to the Outsiders. His dark-blue eyes swept the crowd, before settling upon a tall one with trimmed blonde hair. He held out his sword, pointing it at the man.

“Leader?” Mesfin asked.

The Outsider nodded. “I am. Commander Erwin Smith, at your service.”

Mesfin jerked his head. “You. Me. Talk. Now.”

This Erwin Smith took a step forward but the Outsiders around him tightening formation. But, he shook his head, frowning.

“I can handle myself,” Erwin said. “Stand down.”

To show that he was trustworthy, Mesfin gave his swords to his son, as well as his belt that held his daggers. He nodded to Erwin to follow him. The two walked a couple of paces away from looming ears before Mesfin turned to Erwin.

“I apologize for my daughter,” Mesfin said, dropping the action instantly. “She is a… inquisitive soul.”

Erwin’s eyebrows shot up, his mouth going slack, but he nodded. “She was no harm. We were in the wrong. I will not lie, I have never… seen someone… like you… before.”

Mesfin gave him a small, sad smile. “That is because your people tried to destroy us hundreds of years ago. But that is the past, and I do not terry on such things.”

“How?” Erwin asked. “I never knew your people existed.”

“That was the point,” Mesfin replied. “We have stayed hidden for our own protection. I planned to keep it like that until you arrived.”

“What could we have done that made you change your strategy in protecting yourselves?” Erwin asked.

“That, you’d have to ask my daughter,” Mesfin replied. “For some reason, she deems it important that we learn about you. According to her, she believes may be working together could help us defeat the Giants.”

“The Giants?” Erwin repeated, then it dawned on him. “Oh, the Titans.”

“That is what you call them?” Mesfin asked. “Interesting…”

“Your daughter saved one of our Scouts,” Erwin said. “So, we are in your debt. I am guessing the younger girl is your daughter as well?”

Mesfin nodded. “Yes, Hawani. She was supposed to be watching over by my daughter, the day you found her. So, I am in your debt as well. You could have easily let her alone to be devoured by the Giants. But, you didn’t.”

“It seems that we both owe the other,” Erwin said, scratching his chin, thinking over his words.

“I suggest something,” Mesfin said.

“What do you suggest?”

“Allow Safiyeh to live with you, and learn from you,” Mesfin replied. “In our Tribe, it is her place to become the chief advisor of her brother, when he takes my place. Perhaps she is right. Perhaps, during her time with you, she can learn your ways, and you, in turn, can learn ours.”

Erwin let this sink in. “You seem like a trustworthy man, even though I do not know your name. I will not lie to you and say that we’d just here for no reason. We have learned something about the Titans, something that I hope we can use to help humanity.”

“Perhaps we can help you,” Mesfin offered. “Perhaps we can combine both of our learning and achieve our goals. I want my people to no longer live in fear of the Outsiders. I want them to come to the Groundland, to thrive, to have a future that is more than living in fear in the branches above.”

Erwin nodded. “I understand. Then, I agree to take in your daughter as my guest. If you have an adult that you want to join her, then I will accept them too. In return, I offer one of my Captains to live with you, if you want.”

Mesfin nodded. “I accept. I also ask that my daughter and her Keeper be given free rein to leave or come whenever they want.”

“I agree to that as well,” Erwin said, holding out his hand.

Mesfin looked at it, then took his head. “We do not shake hands like you Outsiders. We do this.”

Mesfin clasped his fist to his heart and pounded his chest twice. “Belibē tisisiri.”

“That is similar to what we do,” Erwin said.

He clasped his right fist over his heart, then crossed his other hand behind his back. “We call this, offering up our hearts for the greater good.”

“It seems our cultures might be closer than we thought,” Mesfin said, smiling at him. “Mesfin, High Cheiftain of the Hadi.”

“Erwin Smith, Commander of the Survey Corps,” Erwin said. “I am glad we’ve formed a plan.”

* * *

The Survey Corps and the Hadi glared at each other as their leaders slowly emerged from the forest, unsure of what had just transpired.

“I have talked to the High Chief,” Erwin said, speaking loud enough for all to hear. “He apologized for all the trouble that we have gone through, although it’s also our fault by intruding on their land.”

“Their land?” a Scout blurted out. “Commander, how can this be their land?!”

“They were here first,” Erwin barked, his icy-blue eyes narrowed at the unauthorized interruption. “The High Chief and I have come to an agreement. We both want our people to survive in this dark world, we want to learn the truth about the Titans, and thus, we have agreed to exchange information freely between us.”

“That’s good,” Safiyeh whispered to her brother. “Isn’t it?”

Temesgen frowned and looked to his father. “What are you not telling us?”

“They are going to give us one of their Captains,” Mesfin replied in their tongue. “But in return, Safiyeh shall live with them.”

“Are you insane?!” Temesgen exploded, not caring if the Outsiders could hear him. “You trade your eldest daughter to these… these… these savages?!”

“We do not judge the people of the present by the sins of those from the past,” Mesfin snapped, glaring down at his son. “And my word is the law. Safiyeh will be our emissary between.”

Erwin looked between the two arguing men. He did not know what they were saying but could tell by their tone that they were arguing. He had heard yelling and fighting among his men enough to know.

“That’s only if Safi agrees!” Temesgen yelled. “And what’s to say that…”

“I agree,” Safiyeh said.

Temesgen jerked his head around. “What?”

“I agree to do it,” Safiyeh repeated herself.

“But why?”

“Because, unlike you, I both know and understand that our people can not live forever in the trees, Tem,” Safiyeh replied. “If ābati has an agreement with the Outsiders, and if he trusts them, then he’s right.”

“Since when are you so… so… so… so submissive?!” Temesgen asks. “The Safi I know would have protested until she was mute in the throat!”

“I’m still that same Safi, but don’t you see this is the best way? We can get an understanding about the Outsiders by me living there, as well as working out a way so we aren’t hidden in the trees again,” Safiyeh said.

Mesfin nodded. “I plan to send an Elder with Safiyeh, so she won’t lack on her training while she’s with the Outsiders.” He looked to his daughter. “Safiyeh, do you agree?”

Safiyeh turned to the one called Erwin and locked eyes. “I agree,” she said, in their tongue.

Erwin nodded. “Thank you.”

“We will arrive at first light,” Mesfin said, nodding his head.

Slowly, the two groups backed off, with the Hadi leaping into the trees and the Scouts returning to their castle.

Mesfin called Temsegen and Safiyeh to his terrace, and listened to his son rant about all the negatives this was, but looked instead to Safiyeh.

“Safiyeh,” Mesfin said, interrupting his son. “You are sure about this?”

“Of course,” Safiyeh said, nodding. “We both get what we want. I learn from the Outsiders, and you get rid of me.”

Mesfin frowned, standing up. “I do not want to get rid of you, Safiyeh. I never have. I am… I am sorry, for the way that I reacted to the information of Hawani’s capture, but place yourself in my boots. I thought I had lost her, I thought I was going to lose you. You… You are so much like your mother that I worry that I’d lose you just as I lost her.”

Safiyeh bit her lip. “If there is one thing that I know about myself, _ābati_ , is that not even a Giant can take me down. I will fight for us, I will fight for our People until my dying breath.”

“And that is why I believe in you, Safiyeh,” Mesfin said. “I believe that you can do this, above all other people.”

“Even me, _ābati_?” Temesgen snapped.

Mesfin shook his head. “That’s not what I meant, Tem, and you know that. Your place is here, looking after our people, learning to lead them. Safiyeh’s fate is elsewhere. She is to become your Chief Advisor when you take my place, you need her with the Outsiders, learning their ways.”

Temesgen frowned and looked away, but finally conceded, giving a small nod.

The following morning, at first light, Safiyeh stood outside of the Outsider’s structure. With here, were several Seekers and Warriors to see her off, as well as Meharene, who the High Chieftain had selected to watch over his daughter. Safiyeh had two large bags with her, holding anything that she could want, as well as a falcon on her shoulder.

The steel poles of the Building began to rise and Erwin stepped out, followed by Levi, and several other Outsiders.

“Welcome back,” Erwin said, spreading his arms wide. “Allow me to introduce Henrik, he is the Captain that will go back to your people.”

Safiyeh nodded and turned to one of the Seekers. “Make sure he is treated with respect.”

The Seeker bowed his head and gestured for the Outsider to come with him. This Henrik awkwardly stepped forward, passing by Safiyeh and into the custody of the Seekers.

Now it was Safiyeh’s turn.

The Hadi Princess looked behind her, to where her father was watching, then entered into the Building.

All eyes were on her as Safiyeh entered into the structure, but she pretended not to notice. Instead, she followed this Erwin into the strong building, waiting for him to speak. He led her up many flights of stairs until they reached a large space, consisting of a bed, table, chair, and that was about it.

“Not… much… is it?” Safiyeh whispered to her Elder.

“You will make it do,” Meharene whispered back, then turned to Erwin. “Where will I stay?”

“There is a room prepared for you, down the hall,” Erwin replied. “And as I told the High Chieftain, you both will have free rein in the castle, both in and out. I only ask that you respect the boundaries we have in place here.”

Meharene nodded, gesturing for him to lead her out so that Safiyeh could unpack.

As the two walked Meharene looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “I hope you know that our Chieftain is placing a lot of trust in you. Both in his belief that our people can have a future, and in you keeping his daughter safe.”

Erwin nodded. “I know, and I respect that. I can tell his trust is not easily earned.”

Meharene smirked. “Those the Hadi does not trust. We kill. You all draw breath to this day because Mesfin deemed it necessary. All other Outsiders are normally killed.”

Erwin tucked that bit of information into the back of his head for now. “Then, I will hope that I never misplace that trust.”

He opened the door to Meharene’s room, letting the woman go inside and look around.

The Survey Core Commander found his gaze wandering over the stranger, unable to stop himself.

“What are your thoughts, on being here?” Erwin asked.

“My thoughts are to protect the _li'iliti_ ,” Meharene replied. “And if that means traveling with her here. Then so be it.”

Meharene bent over to place something within a trunk, and Erwin quickly forced himself to look away.

“I hope then that we both can come to solution for both our people,” Erwin commented.

“I hope so too,” Meharene replied. “Or else, your people will not see another sunrise the second your use is gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Sorry that I've been away for a while, it's been a tough couple fo weeks but I'm back and with a new AND LONGER CHAPTER!!! I'd love to know what you guys thought/loved about it!
> 
> Until next time!


	10. 9. A Lover's Touch to sooth a Titan (Unknown Chapter Sneak Peak)

**Unknown Location and Period in Time**

“You have a visitor.”

The Man in the cell would have gladly ignored the guard who spoke. He would have thought by now that Guard would have known better than to try and get him to talk. It's not like the Guard wasn’t the first one to try and get the Man to speak. Other members of the military had come and gone, all trying and failing to get the Main to utter so much as a single syllable.

The Man raised a light-green eye, ready to so much as to glance at this so-called ‘visitor’ but the second he did, the Man’s heart froze in his chest.

It was Her.

A dead silence fell over the two as the Guard unlocked the cell doors and stepped aside, allowing the young woman inside. She took two steps forward and the bars were closed behind her, the Guard looking between the two.

“Leave us,” the Man said.

The Guard glared at him. “I’m not…”

“NOW!” The Man bellowed, his eyes glowing as lines carved themselves into his cheeks and forehead.

The Guard did not have to be told twice after that. With a strangled yelp he ran as fast as he could, slamming the door down the hall shut.

Now, they were truly alone.

The Woman looked at the Man, watching as he slowly set his book aside and rose to his feet. The Man took one step forward, then another, then another, until he stood mere inches in front of her.

Before the Man could speak, the Woman’s open hand flew. She struck him with an open palm, not caring if she hurt him, he would heal.

“Bastard,” the Woman spat in her tongue. She made a fist and punched him in the stomach. “Abandoner! I can’t believe you!” She grabbed his shoulders and brought him down, kneeing him hard in the ribs. “I hate you!”

The Man accepted her beating without resistance, and as smoke rose from his body, he took a shaky breath.

“You have… every right to be angry,” the Man began to say, only to get backhanded again.

“I don’t want to hear you speak!” The Woman raged. “How could you!”

The Man grabbed her wrist as the Woman tried to punch him again. She tried to kick at him, but the Man easily blocked with his own leg. Not giving her a chance to counter, he grabbed her other wrist and held them over her head. His heart pounding, the Man pressed the Woman against the wall, his green eyes staring into her sky blue.

Within those twin oceans the Man saw nothing but sadness, tears were welling within them.

“Do you think I wanted to leave?” the Man asked. “Do you think that I wanted to abandon you and our sons?”

“You still did!” the Woman cried. “You left us, you left me! I wanted to come but was told that it was forbidden.”

“They wanted to keep you safe,” the Man said. “I told them to keep you safe. You could not hide among the enemy. I needed to go, and I need to go alone.”

“But you still asked for help,” the Woman pointed out. “You could have asked me! Do you know how worried I was, knowing that I was here and you might have died? What would I have done without you?”

The Man’s gaze softened at her words.

The two of them had been through so much within these short years.

“I can handle myself,” The Man whispered, one of his hands sliding down to cradle her face. “But you… If so much as a hair on your head fell to the ground, I would burn the world to the ground.”

The Man pressed his lips to hers the second he finished speaking, his free hand cradling her head. The Woman answered the call of his kisses, as he let go of her wrists, she wrapped them around his shoulders as she stood on her toes.

He grabbed her waist, lifting her as the Woman jumped, wrapping her legs around his middle. She could feel a straining against his pants, showing his desire, his hunger for her.

“Wait…” she whispered. “What if someone hears… or comes…?”

“The doors are built to be soundproof,” the Man answered, pressing his lips to her neck. “And the guards are terrified of me. They won’t be back here for some time…”

Holding her in his arms the Man walked in the direction of his bed, his mind focused on one thing: reacquainting himself with his lover's touch.

* * *

The Man laid his lover gently among his blankets and sheets. Pulling away, he slid his shirt over his head, tossing it away. The Woman’s eyes widened slightly, her hands reaching out and running her hands down his body, feeling the toned muscle and hot skin. With little help, the Man undid his Lover’s shirt, tossing it away before untying the cloth that held her breasts in place.

He groaned in desire as the twin mounds became free, and leaned down, capturing one dark nipple between his lips. His Lover mewed softly as he suckled it like a babe, while one of his hands slipped into her pants and between her legs.

“Mmm…” his Lover groaned, her back arching. “Ahhhhh….”

The Man tugged on the nipple gently as he slid his fingers into her, feeling her wet, hot core, pumping them slowly.

Part of him wanted to ravish her, and the Man had a feeling that’s what his lover wanted. But after so long without her touch, he was forcing himself to take it slow.

“I’ve hardly touched you…” the Man whispered, switching his mouth to her other breast. “And you’re already dripping.”

His Lover whimpered, rocking her hips. “You are the cause…If you weren’t so…fuck!”

The Woman gasped as he curled his fingers inside her, his middle digit having found her sacred spot while his thumb pressed against her pearl. She panted, fisting his hair as her lover continued to finger her while he suckled upon her breast.

Half a year… that’s how long it had been without so much as a glimpse of the woman that held his heart. The Man didn’t care if the Guards came back, nothing was going to take her from his arms.

When the Man was satisfied with how wet she had become, he removed his fingers. He smirked at his Lover and raised his hand to his mouth, licking the sweet syrup from his fingers.

“As delicious as I remember…” he whispered to her.

He pulled away and reached down, tugging down her pants and underwear in one movement, tossing them to the side. He then untied his pants and threw them into the pile of discarded clothing. Grasping his length, the Man playfully rubbed the tip slowly up and down her petals, the pink inner flesh glistening with her desire.

“Enough teasing…” he finally said. “I need you now…”

Carefully, the Man pushed himself inside. A deep groan rumbled in his throat as his body finally joined with hers after so long. His lover spread her legs wider, craving him, yet holding still until he was fully inside her. The Man held still as their hips met, giving her body a moment to adjust to his size. When he was sure that she was ready, he began to move his hips.

_In_ _… and out…_

_In_ _… and out…_

_In_ _… and out…_

Euphoria washed over the couple as their bodies moved like partners remembering an old dance. The Man held the Woman’s leg up, giving him more room as he thrust into her, his lips whispering her name with every movement.

The Woman reached up, grabbing his shoulders so she could pull him down, and pressed her lips back to his. Their tongues danced, wrapping around each other as the two made love. Within the darkness of the cell, the only light came from the moon that shined through one of the windows. The light cast shadows on the wall of the two bodies within the bed, while also giving a blue-ish undertone to the Woman’s dark skin.

She grasped Man’s shoulders and rolled them over, needing to be on top. Once there, she began to rock and bounce her hips, her head tilted back, her eyes closed tight as she moaned with pleasure. Her Lover thrust up into her with every movement of her hips, both hands upon her slender waist.

The Man’s head tilted back as he groaned, keeping his thrusts in tune with her rhythm. “Fuck…”

He grabbed her and rolled them back over so that he was on top and put her legs over his shoulders. Leaning over her, he held his Lover’s waist with one hand, while holding one of her hands over her head with the other. Their fists clenched together, he stared unblinkingly into her eyes as his hips drove into hers faster and faster. Sweat dripped from his brow as the Man pushed himself deeper, their breathing coming heaver and quiver, yet he kept their hands bound together.

He was close… so very close… and he could tell that she was too. Whispering her name, the Man pressed his lips back to hers, cradling her face with his free hand yet keeping that one still clenched around hers. The Woman’s cries became sharper and sharper as the pressure within her built, and then…the dam within her burst.

With a gasp the Woman tossed her head back, her body tightening. Her eyes widened as her nails dug into his back, the only thing that silenced her cry of release was her Lover’s lips upon her own. The Man followed soon after, groaning into their kiss as he poured into her, weakly thrusting before he fell limp on top of her.

For a moment, the only thing in the cell was their breathing or a fluttering of bats outside. When the Man collected himself, he carefully pulled out of her, and laid at the Woman’s side, wrapping his arms around her.

He traced patterns on her back, thinking over his next words. “I want to see my children.”

* * *

The military at first wanted to refuse the Man’s request.

“I do not see the point in rewarding him with the gift of seeing his children,” the Military Commander snapped.

The Woman’s eyes narrowed and crossed her arms. “Do you forget that it is because of me, that he finally came back? He did not have to but did. The least you could do is let him see them.”

The Commander scoffed, rolling his eyes. “The least I did was allow him to have a conjugal visit with you, My Lady. If you weren’t so key in keeping him under control, I would have refused that.”

The Woman slammed her hands into the table. “Are you so blinded by your hatred of him that you would refuse him this? All he asks is to see his children! What is so wrong about that?”

“My problem is that only two of the three is his,” the Commander pointed out. “Or do you forget his true father?”

The Woman grit her teeth. “Provoking me is only going to make things worse for you, and him. Whether you like it or not, I’m taking them to see their father, you don’t have the power to stop me.”

Turning on her heel the Woman stormed out of the Commander’s office, shoving aside all who stood in her way. One of the Guards took a step after her, but the Commander shook his head.

“No, let her go,” the Commander said, an idea forming in his head. “Let her bring the children…perhaps this could work in our favor.”

A couple of days later, the Woman led three small children to the underground Cells. The girl on her hip looked at everything with wide, frightened eyes but her brothers did not. The two boys knew something was wrong, something that their Mother was not telling them, but stayed silent.

The Guard as the door unlocked the Man’s cell and let the four inside, all though he locked the door behind them.

“Papa!” the Little Girl chirped.

The Woman set her down and watched as her daughter ran to her father, her light-auburn curls flying in the wind. The Man knelt and picked his daughter up, burying his face into her neck as he inhaled her scent.

A tear slowly slid down his cheek, but the Man quickly wiped it away. Before the Man had left, his daughter was barely six months old. Now, she was about a year old and had transformed from the mere babe he knew.

And he had missed it all.

“Hey there,” the Man whispered, ruffling her hair. “Hey…”

“Papa?” one of his Sons said. “Why are you here?”

The Man looked to his son, who was now four or five if he could remember the date of his birth correctly. “I… I’m just visiting the military. They keep everyone here, for their safety.”

The Man did not know if his son believed him, but he did not have time to dally on it. His eyes were drawn to his eldest son, who regarded him silently. He too has transformed while the Man was gone. In the past, the Man’s son looked more like his mother, but now… the Man could see His face.

Years ago, He was the one person that the Man felt the closest to. He was loved both by the Man and the Woman, and together, the three had conceived a child. But then… He betrayed them and abandoned their son.

The Man had seen Him before he returned home, and the Man treated Him as the enemy He was. However, the Man could tell that the Woman did not feel the same way.

When the Man held out his arms, his son ran into them, hugging his father tightly.

“Promise me, that when they come, you will give Him a chance,” the Woman whispered. “Promise me.”

The Man gave her a small nod, holding his blond-haired son close. “I promise that I will give Him a chance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *pokes head in*
> 
> Hi everyone!
> 
> Sooooooooo I've been ITCHING to write a sex scene in the book and even though we're a bit ways away from the one in the current chapters, I give you one in the future! For those who are confused, this chapter is canon in my FanFiction but I will NOT tell you who it is between and WHEN it takes place. Some things have also NOT been included so there is much more coming!
> 
> If you love this chapter, how about a bet. If I get at least 10 comments by Friday (and I'd love to hear your theories on who is in this chapter and when it takes place) then I'll post a new chapter by Sunday, and it'll be a LONG one!!!
> 
> Until next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I hope that you enjoyed it. If you did, please don't hesitate to leave me a kudos or a comment. To be honest, I prefer comments because I would like to know what you think of the story so far.
> 
> Although my favorite FanFiction series to write is A Song of Ice and Fire related, I am quite a diverse writer having written for other shows/books such as Castlevania, The Boys, Marvel Comics (coming soon!), and more! Interested in reading my other work? Just click on my name, and it'll take you right too it!
> 
> Thank you, and happy reading!


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